Zindzi Mandela, the daughter of former South African president Nelson Mandela, who died on Monday, had tested positive for COVID-19, according to her son.
Her son, Zondwa, confirmed her diagnosis to South Africa’s public broadcaster, SABC, on Wednesday. It was not, however, confirmed if this was the cause of her death.
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.
