South African author, activist, and Nelson Mandela’s granddaughter Zoleka Mandela lived from 9 April 1980 until 25 September 2023. She wrote about her drug abuse, the passing of her daughter, and her own struggles with breast cancer.
Zoleka Mandela, the daughter of Zindzi Mandela and her first spouse Zwelibanzi Hlongwane, was born on April 9, 1980. The Mandelas, who are in charge of Mvezo, their ancestral chiefdom, are the direct heirs of Thembu King Madiba. They are her mother’s kin.
Who is Zoleka Mandela’s father Oupa Johannes Mafanyana Seakamela, and where is he now?
Zoleka Mandela’s father, Oupa Johannes Mafanyana Seakamela, was a teacher and activist who was born in South Africa. He met Zoleka’s mother, Zindzi Mandela, in the 1960s, and they were married in 1968. They had two children together, Zoleka and her brother Kweku.
Seakamela was a member of the African National Congress (ANC), a political party that was fighting against apartheid in South Africa. He was arrested and imprisoned several times for his political activities. In 1970, he was sentenced to five years in prison for sabotage.
After his release from prison, Seakamela continued to work for the ANC. He also taught at the University of Fort Hare and at the University of Botswana, Lesotho, and Swaziland.
In the 1980s, Seakamela moved to the United States, where he taught at the University of Massachusetts Boston and at the University of California, Berkeley. He also worked for the ANC’s office in New York City.
After the end of apartheid in South Africa in 1994, Seakamela returned to his home country. He continued to work for the ANC and served as a diplomat in several countries.
