Zindzi Mandela, the daughter of former South African president Nelson Mandela had tested positive for coronavirus before her death.
Her son, Zondwa Mandela confirmed her diagnosis but did not state if the virus was the cause of her death on Monday, July 13.
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Speaking with South Africa’s public broadcaster (SABC), Zondwa said;
My mother did in fact test positive for Covid-19 on the day of her passing. Although, this doesn’t, therefore, mean that she died of COVID-related complications, but simply that she tested positive for it.
He added;
Simply by the virtue that there was a positive test, we are therefore obligated to function and work within the framework of the existing regulation related to such cases.
Zondwa added;
Several other tests have been done and those tests will give us further information as to what could have led to her untimely death.
The development came as South Africa’s cases of COVID-19 crossed 300,000 on Wednesday, the most in Africa and among the 10 highest in the world.
At the time of her death, Zindzi Mandela was South Africa’s ambassador to Denmark.
She was an anti-apartheid activist in her own right, who found her voice at a young age.
Zindzi first came to international prominence in 1985, when the white minority Government offered to release Mr Mandela from prison if he denounced violence perpetrated by his movement, the Africa National Congress, against apartheid – the brutal system of racial discrimination enforced in South Africa at that time.
Zindzi read his letter rejecting the offer at a packed public meeting which was broadcast around the world.
The Mandela Legacy Foundation, speaking on behalf of the family, said memorial and funeral arrangements for Zindzi would be announced in the course of this week.
Zindzi is survived by her husband and four children.
