Mandela'a late daughter, Zindzi, had COVID-19, son says

The son of Zindzi Mandela, the daughter of former South African president Nelson Mandela, has confirmed that his mom tested positive for COVID-19 before her death on Monday.

Although COVID-19 hasn't been confirmed as her cause of death, Zondwa confirmed his mother's diagnosis to South Africa’s public broadcaster, SABC, on Wednesday.

The 59-year-old died in a hospital in Johannesburg, in Gauteng province, the region identified by the Ministry of Health as South Africa’s COVID-19 epicentre.

Zindzi was once deputy president of the Soweto Youth Congress and an underground operative for the African National Congress (ANC) party’s armed wing, uMkhonto we Sizwe.

She most recently served as South Africa’s ambassador to Denmark and was slated to take over as head of mission in Monrovia, Liberia.

Zindzi, who is survived by her husband and four children, will be buried on Friday, the Mandela family confirmed.