When Hope Whispers Zoleka Mandela

Writer and activist Zoleka Mandela, the granddaughter of Nelson Mandela, has lost her battle against cancer. She passed away on 25 September at the age of 43.

Those who have followed her story will know that Zoleka had a troubled past despite being born into South Africa's royal family. Her childhood was marred by sexual abuse from older male members of her family, an issue that she does not delve deeply into in her book When Hope Whispers. In her tender teenage years, Zoleka sought the approval of men to compensate for the lack of an emotional relationship with her biological father, a man she deeply admired. She found herself pregnant at the age of 16 with her first daughter, Zenani. Her life did not get any easier when her decisions led her down the road of drug and alcohol addiction.

Zoleka's decision to choose sobriety came after her daughter Zenani was tragically killed in 2010 in a car accident while travelling with her grandmother, Winnie Mandela. Still in the throes of her substance abuse, Zoleka, not wanting to deal with the loss of her daughter, delved even further down a very dark road. The guilt of not having been able to be the mother that Zenani – or the infant son, Zwelami, whom she lost in 2011 – deserved, weighed heavily on her. She carried this burden of guilt to her death, knowing that Zenani never experienced the better version of her when she did eventually become sober.

We all have our crosses to bear. My cross may not look like yours.

The book goes into great detail about her first battle against cancer, from the diagnosis to her reluctance to undergo treatment and then to all 16 of her chemotherapy treatments. Zoleka manages to articulate and describe what she went through, and one can feel the pain with every page read. Fighting a battle against cancer is brutal not only for the sufferer, but it also takes its toll on the family who helplessly stand by and watch a loved one in indescribable pain.

Zoleka openly shared her life on social media, from her sobriety journey to her battles with cancer and the joys of motherhood. Zoleka's life will continue to give hope to those who have travelled a similar journey through life and are trying to come out on the other side, as well as to all of us because we all encounter struggles in life. Her life serves as a lesson that we can find a semblance of hope on this road called life, whatever may come.

A while back I listened to an interview with Zoleka. Journalist Mapaseka Mokwele said: You have gone through a lot, Zo – lost a daughter, overcame addiction, you have beaten breast cancer twice, were diagnosed a third time, and more.

Zo: So has everybody else.

This is what I will take from having read her book and having followed her journey: we all have our crosses to bear. My cross may not look like yours, but despite what life may bring our way, hope does indeed whisper when we learn to seek out pockets of joy.

Laimi Elago