Mandela’s Grandson Announces That Mandela’s Daughter-in-Law Also Died of AIDS-Related Causes
Former South African President Nelson Mandela's grandson Mandla Mandela on Saturday at the funeral of his father, Makgatho Mandela -- who died of AIDS-related causes -- announced that his mother -- Makgatho Mandela's wife, Zondi -- also died of AIDS-related causes, London's Observer reports (Beresford, Observer, 1/16). Nelson Mandela earlier this month announced that Makgatho Mandela had died from AIDS-related pneumonia at age 54 -- a revelation that ended weeks of speculation that Makgatho had AIDS. Mandela at a news conference said, "I announce that my son has died of AIDS," adding, "Let us give publicity to HIV/AIDS and not hide it because the only way to make it appear like a normal illness, like TB, like cancer, is always to come out and say somebody has died because of HIV/AIDS, and people will stop regarding it as something extraordinary" (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 1/14). The Mandela family previously had announced only that Zondi Mandela died of pneumonia (Associated Press, 1/15). Makgatho Mandela's funeral was attended by thousands of people, including South Africa's "political elite," according to Reuters. Zwelakhe Sisulu, son of Walter Sisulu -- Mandela's "comrade" in the African National Congress -- praised Mandela for announcing that Makgatho had died of AIDS-related causes, adding, "There is a disease that is confronting not just our nation but the entire world" (Thomson, Reuters, 1/15).
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