“We Are Still Digesting Everything”-Zoleka’s Brother Opens Up

On Thursday 28 September, the late Zoleka Mandela‘s friends and family poured in at the Mandela family home to pay tributes to her.

The author and activist passed away on the 25th of September after a long battle with metastatic cancer.

“Our sincerest gratitude to the medical team that took care of her,” the official statement read.

Zoleka’s brother and family spokesperson Zwelabo told SABC news:  “We are still digesting everything that’s going on but doing our best to carry out this send-off with the dignity my sister needed,”

Zwalebo said Zoleka was as bubbly as she was online and that he’d forever cherish the time they spent together.

“It hasn’t been with my sister a traditional hierarchy in terms of how we relate. She created the platform for us to have some sort of dynamism and I’ve always been grateful for that because then my perspective on things continues to widen and I can only just inherit her strength in the different approaches to life.

“There was not much discrepancy between what you saw online and how we related. I think that’s why people gathered behind her so easily because she was always relatable, always open, always vulnerable, and able to change that and empower people. There are many fond memories, but for the most part, everyone caught the greatest glimpses of my sister and I’m thankful.”