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Family member confirms authenticity of list of people Zoleka Mandela didn’t want at funeral
Despite his name being on the list, Mandla Mandela attended Zoleka's funeral.
The late Nelson Mandela’s granddaughter, Zoleka Mandela. Picture: Instagram
Late former president Nelson Mandela’s granddaughter Ndileka Mandela has confirmed the authenticity of a list of people who her cousin Zoleka did not want at her funeral.
The list has been widely shared on social media on Friday.
Zoleka lost her long battle with cancer on Monday evening at the age of 43.
Her private funeral service was held at the Bryanston Methodist Church on Friday.
Zoleka wrote the following words at the end of the list: “FYI, these men sexually abused me.”
ALSO READ: Mandla Mandela denies abusing Zoleka after list emerges
Some of the people whose names were on the list were at the funeral service.
Zoleka Mandela’s list
This list included prominent members of the Mandela family, including Mandla Mandela, Zenani Mandela senior, Zamaswazi Dlamini-Mandela and Zinhle Mandela among others.
Ndileka, who had just arrived from the US, told The Citizen that she is aware of the list of people circulating on social media.
“There is a list in circulation on Twitter that I can confirm that contains the names of people. That was her (Zoleka’s) dying wish for those people not to attend the funeral.”
Ndileka said she would visit Zoleka’s grave to lay a wreath.
ALSO READ: Zoleka Mandela: Madiba’s granddaughter loses brave battle against cancer
Watch: Mandla Mandela appears at funeral
Despite his name being on the list, Mandla Mandela made an appearance at the funeral service.
Tribute
Earlier this week Ndileka paid tributed to Zoleka in a video message.
“I knew Zoleka from the time that she was a baby. So my relationship with her extends from the time that she was born. So, my memory casts back to the times we would spend in Qunu and in jubilant occasions.
“The one thing that Zo has taught me is endurance and braving the odds. Zo fought courageously, she knew the odds were stacked against her, but that did not discourage her from fighting against this terrible disease called cancer,” said Ndileka
Zoleka’s memorial service was held on Thursday at the Mandela family home in Soweto where family members, friends, and government officials paid tribute to the prolific writer.
Battle with cancer
She was admitted to hospital in May after she was diagnosed with stage three liver and lung cancer last year.
The author was diagnosed with breast cancer for the first time in 2012, and again in 2016 after surviving the first time.
She documented her 10-year breast cancer journey in an autobiography, When Hope Whispers, and took to Instagram announcing the doctors’ reports after her oncologist performed a CAT scan.
ALSO READ: WATCH: Zoleka Mandela taken home before her final resting place
