Friends and family of the Mandela family have described the late Zoleka Mandela as a beacon of hope for cancer patients.
Family and friends had gathered at the Mandela home in Orlando West Soweto, to pay tribute to Nelson Mandela and Winnie Madikizela Mandel’s granddaughter and Zindzi Mandela’s daughter, Zoleka who passed away this week after a long battle with cancer.
Paying tribute to Zoleka who passed away on Monday, former ANC NEC member and Tourism Minister Lindiwe Sisulu told mourners that the 43-year-old survived many difficulties in her young life..
“Zoleka Mandela has endured enough to fill several lifetimes, while she might be the member of South Africa’s own royal family, Zoleka has not led a sheltered life at all.
“She has traveled down paths which most dare not, from the horror of losing two children in two years to a journey of cocaine and rehab and being diagnosed with cancer,” Sisulu said.
Zodwa Zwane, a close family friend said Zoleka was full of love.
“I stepped in as a third mother because there was Sbulelo at that time and I had no child at that time and became a mother to Zoleka, she had so much love as big as this house we call parliament.”
Zoleka’s uncle Mnikelo Madikizela said he will remember his niece as a peaceful person.
“She was a lovely person, she was down to earth and was very strict. They would always bother me running around when they were young as their uncle but I’ll always miss her,” he said.
Her brother Zwalakhe Mandela said Zoleka was an open person and was not afraid to be vulnerable. She wrote about her 10-year breast cancer journey in an autobiography, When Hope Whispers, he said.
Zoleka will be buried on Friday at Fourways Memorial Park where her grandmother, Winnie was laid to rest in 2018.
