Zoleka Mandela, the granddaughter of anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela, has died at the age of 43, after battling with cancer.

Zoleka was admitted into hospital on Monday September 18, as part of her ongoing treatment.  Scans revealed her liver cancer had spread to her hip, liver, lung, brain, pelvis, and spinal cord.

Her death was announced in a post on her Instagram page, where she detailed her fight with the disease with her over a million followers.

“Zoleka passed away… surrounded by friends and family,” said Zwelabo Mandela.

The family stated that recent scans revealed “significant” progress in the cancer that affected her hip, liver, lung, pelvis, brain and spinal cord.

“We mourn the loss of a beloved grandchild of Mum Winnie and Madiba,” the Nelson Mandela Foundation wrote on social media, using the name by which the Nobel Peace Prize laureate was fondly known.

“Her work in raising awareness about cancer prevention and her unwavering commitment to breaking down the stigma surrounding the disease will continue to inspire us all.”

Zoleka was born in 1980, she is the first daughter of Nelson Mandela’s daughter Zindzi Mandela.

She was a mother-of-six, and had two grandchildren. Her 13-year-old daughter, Zenani was killed in car crash near South African capital, Johannesburg in 2010. Ms Mandela was diagnosed of breast cancer soon after at the age of 32.

Zoleka underwent series of treatment but the cancer returned in 2016 and she began documenting her journey with the disease through her social media platforms. In 2022, she was diagnosed of liver cancer.