The funeral of Nelson Mandela’s great-granddaughter, Zenani, will take place on Thursday June 17, 2010 at the chapel of her school, St Stithians College in Sandton, the Nelson Mandela Foundation said on Monday.
While the funeral would not be open to the public, South Africans were welcome to send their condolences to the Mandela family via email, said foundation spokesperson Sello Hatang.
“We appreciate that South Africans and visitors to the country would all like to be there, but due to space constraints, we ask that they please send their condolences to [email protected],” he said.
“We will certainly make sure that the family receives them.”
Zenani Zanethemba Nomasonto Mandela, 13, died in a car crash after the World Cup opening concert in Soweto on Thursday night. She is the granddaughter of Zindzi Mandela, who is the daughter of Madiba and Winnie Madikizela-Mandela.
The driver of the car was Sizwe Mankazana, the 23-year-old son of Zwelakhe Mankazana, who is Zenani Mandela-Dlamini’s partner. Mandela-Dlamini is the late Zenani’s great-aunt.
Mankazana was initially arrested and charged with drunk driving and culpable homicide, but his case was struck off the roll on Friday pending “further investigation”.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said that Mankazana would appear in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on July 26, two weeks after the World Cup had ended.
NPA spokesperson Mthunzi Mhaga declined to comment on claims that Mankazana was getting special treatment because he was part of the Mandela family.
He also denied that Mankazana’s case had been delayed to manage media coverage by letting him appear after the World Cup had ended on July 11, when most foreign journalists had already left the country.
“Whatever decisions we take, they are above board,” said Mhaga.
Sapa
May god bless the Mandela family in this time of sadness our thoughts are with you.
May the Mandela family find comfort in the Lord as they mourn their beloved one.
May her soul rest in peace and thanks for not letting this interrupt the world cup. If this happened in some country I know, the body of the young lady would have taken all over the country, 4 weeks state funeral and the world cup disturbed. SA is truelly becoming a great country. Shame on zambia.
May her soul rest in eternal peace & may the Almighty God comfort the Mandela family as they are going through this very painful phase of life.
To the Mandela family, I know words cannot express how you must feel during this tragic time and in the lose of such a beautiful young lady Zenani Mandela. God needed an angel with a smile that would like up his universe and when he looked at Zenani, He knew right away she was the one. So rest assured that your precious little angel in safe in the arms of her heavenly father. And don’t be sad, just remember her smile and fun times you all shared and each day you think of her, she will be near, right in you HEARTS. May God continue to bless you and keep you in this difficult time.