What was meant to be a peaceful farewell to Zoleka Mandela, the granddaughter of former South African president Nelson Mandela and struggle icon Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, has been marred by drama and division within the Mandela family.
Zenani Mandela brought police to Zoleka’s funeral – Here’s everything we know
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Zenani Mandela, Zoleka’s aunt and daughter of Nelson Mandela, delivered a court interdict at the burial, demanding that Zoleka be buried elsewhere and not in the Mandela family estate, where Zoleka had wished to rest beside her late children, mother, and grandmother at Fourways Memorial Park.
The conflict reportedly arose between family members who wanted to honour Zoleka’s burial wishes and Zenani, who insisted on following legal documents and burying Zoleka in a separate space purchased by her ex-husband, Thierry Bashala.
The situation escalated, with the police intervening to prevent the burial on the Mandela estate.
An anonymous source present at the funeral disclosed:
“There are legal documents that have divided the family. They were forced to move the body from the estate to where the ex-husband had bought the grave. These were orders made by her very own aunt, Zenani.”
The insider added that Zoleka was clear about her burial wishes, desiring to be laid to rest beside her children.
The tension and division within the family were palpable, leading to some family members leaving the ceremony prematurely.
This dispute appears likely to result in further legal battles. It was also suggested that Zenani and Zoleka had a strained relationship, and her actions were perceived as causing unnecessary drama.
Zoleka Mandela’s shocking wishlist: Zenani was not allowed to attend funeral
Zoleka Mandela’s passing on Monday, 25 September 2023, followed an 11-year battle with cancer.
She had meticulously planned her farewell, including a wishlist that surfaced after her death.
The leaked wishlist contained the names of individuals not invited to the funeral and hinted at sexual abuse allegations. Among those listed were members of both the Madikizela and Mandela families.
Notably, Mandla Mandela, the tribal chief of the Mvezo Traditional Council and Nelson Mandela’s grandson was mentioned with a bullet point next to his and Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo’s names.
While Zoleka had never publicly discussed such allegations during her lifetime, the presence of bullet points suggests she may have been making serious accusations against Mandla Mandela and Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo.
Zoleka’s wishlist also included the exclusion of several individuals from the Mandela and Madikizela families, such as Zenani Mandela Snr, Zukiswa Madikizela, and Nsundu Madikizela.
The family dispute and the revelation of Zoleka’s alleged wishlist have cast a shadow over her funeral, leaving the Mandela family divided and the public with unanswered questions about the family’s dynamics and Zoleka’s final wishes.
Here are a few social media reactions to Zenani’s drama:
