- Title: SOUTH AFRICA: Nelson mandela's great-grandchild killed in car crash
- Date: 12th June 2010
- Summary: JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA (JUNE 11, 2010) (REUTERS) WIDE OF ROAD AT CRASH SITE CLOSE UP OF TRAFFIC ON M1 ROAD IN JOHANNESBURG CRASH SITE CLOSE UP OF CARS AND SIGN FOR SOCCER
- Embargoed: 27th June 2010 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: South Africa
- Country: South Africa
- Topics: Disasters / Accidents / Natural catastrophes,Domestic Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA43R5ZUGBJ49BNBEVV4FXUJOFS
- Story Text: Former South African President Nelson Mandela's 13-year-old great granddaughter was killed in a car crash on Friday (June 11) after leaving a concert ahead of the World Cup kick off, the Nelson Mandela Foundation said.
Mandela will not attend the opening match of the soccer World Cup on Friday after his great grand-daughter was killed, the Nelson Mandela Foundation said.
The Foundation said in a statement that Mandela, 91, who is widely credited with helping South Africa win the World Cup bid in 2004, learned of the death of Zenani Mandela on Friday morning.
"It would therefore be inappropriate for him to personally attend the 2010 FIFA World Cup opening celebrations," the Foundation statement said.
South Africans have been hoping he might be able to attend the opening match despite his frail health.
Zenani Mandela, killed two days after her 13th birthday, was one of Mandela's nine great-grandchildren. She was killed when the car she was travelling in after the official World Cup Kick-Off concert was involved in an accident.
Police said earlier reports that Mandela's ex-wife Winnie Madikizela-Mandela was in the car, were incorrect. The driver of the car had been arrested and police were investigating a case of culpable homicide. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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