South Africa’s former Ambassador to Denmark, Zindzi Mandela, has been buried next to her mother, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, at Fourways Memorial Park in Johannesburg.
The 59-year-old died on Monday morning in a Johannesburg hospital. Her family has confirmed that she had contracted the coronavirus.
The political activist was the youngest daughter of struggle stalwarts Nelson Mandela and Madikizela-Mandela.
Her funeral service was held inside a chapel and the burial was private.
Mandela was an Ambassador-designate for Liberia at the time of her passing.
She has been hailed for her resilience and bravery after having experienced a turbulent childhood due to the apartheid regime, which harassed her parents during the fight against the oppressive administration. Her father went underground when she was just four-months-old, setting up the African National Congress’ (ANC) armed wing, Umkhonto weSizwe.
Live stream of the funeral below:
Tributes
The ANC Women’s League (ANCWL) held a virtual memorial service for her last night.
It commended her for courage and commitment to the freedom of South Africans just like her parents.
ANCWL President Bathabile Dlamini said Mandela epitomised fearlessness and an uncaptured mind, following from the strength and straight talk of her mother, Mama Winnie.
COSATU President Zingiswa Losi hailed her for showing leadership and speaking out against injustice without fear.
“Death might have robbed us of your physical being but in the lives of revolutionary, you have now become matter. A gallant soldier whose name will be embroidered in the hearts of many of us who understand your traumatic childhood suffering,” she said.
Earlier this week, the Economic Freedom Fighters’ (EFF) National Spokesperson Delisile Ngwenya paid homage to her, saying the women in the party looked up to Mandela’s bravery and courage.
Ngwenya articulates her party’s position in the video below:
The United Nations is also among those who paid tribute to Mandela, saying “to hear that she is lost especially to our day of reflecting on the life of Mandela it’s such a shocking day.”
In the video below, the Danish Ambassador to South Africa pays tribute to Mandela:
