Actress and MC Zinzi Zungu at Zoleka Mandela’s memorial service in Soweto on 28 September 2023.
Moving around the Mandela home in Soweto comfortably while assisting the family clearly indicates the strength of Scandal! actress Zinzi Zungu’s relationship with the family.
After Zoleka Mandela’s passing on the evening of Monday, 25 September 2023, the family held an intimate memorial service on Thursday, 28 September with friends, relatives and prominent figures paying their respects.
Among the guests at the service, Zinzi was situated right at the front with family, providing emotional support and aiding in the logistics of the service’s proceedings.
READ MORE | GALLERY | Inside Zoleka Mandela’s memorial service – ‘She embodied peace, passion, positivity’
Making her rounds in a flowing black and white spotted dress, Zinzi shares with TRUELOVE how she became close friends with Zoleka through her friendship with Zondwa Mandela, the eldest son of Nelson Mandela and Winnie Madikizela-Mandela’s daughter Zindzi, and his wife Lindo.
“So, Lindo and Zondwa have been close friends of mine and obviously through knowing them, a relationship has been built with Zo.”
Reminiscing about her relationship with Zoleka, Zinzi says, “Yeah man, we’ve just been through a lot. Been there with the babies, through everything and we’re just here to celebrate her life more than anything else, which is what she really really wanted. She didn’t want it to be a sad moment, but one of just celebrating her achievements.”
Friends of the family Janine Wools and actress Zinzi Zungu at Zoleka Mandela’s memorial service.
Zoleka celebrated her 43rd birthday on 9 April 2023 and the day before she held an intimate book signing event for her novel When Hope Whispers – the last time that Zinzi saw her.
“Her birthday, that was the last time I saw her, yeah. So, we had done a book reading before and it was going to be her birthday so that was literally the last time I saw her. So, she looked amazing, she was in high spirits, she was just glowing at that point, and I think it was just for me, personally, just a beautiful memory to capture that in my head forever,” Zinzi tells us.
READ MORE | IN HER OWN WORDS | Zoleka Mandela pens a letter to her hair – ‘I want you to be as free as I am’
After a lengthy battle with cancer – the latest of which saw her hospitalised on 18 September 2023 for ongoing treatment of significant disease progression in the hip, liver, pelvis, brain and spinal cord – Zoleka’s memory lives on through her documented diary sessions on her Instagram page.
Through her passionate and candid nature, Zoleka gave her supporters a close-up look at not only her struggles with cancer, but also of her unwavering strength and positivity.
When it comes to the legacy she sees Zoleka leaving behind, Zinzi shares, “Oh my gosh, I think her book says it all, When Hope Whispers. I think every single person that I have read [or] spoken to has just constantly spoken about the fact that she was a fighter.
“That through her pain she still smiled, she still shared and that takes… great strength. Not just for her family but sharing with the world her pain and her joys. So, I just think she leaves just that: that there is always hope and never stop fighting. That’s the legacy she leaves.”
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