Mandela's Great-Granddaughter Killed in Car Crash

VOA News
10 June 2010

The great-granddaughter of South Africa's anti-apartheid leader Nelson Mandela has been killed in a car crash as she traveled home from the concert kick-off for the 2010 soccer World Cup.

The Nelson Mandela Foundation said Zenani Mandela died in the one-car accident on a Johannesburg highway. It said no one else was injured in the crash.

Police in Johannesburg have charged the driver with drunk driving and say they are considering "culpable homicide" charges as well.

Zenani had celebrated her 13th birthday only two days earlier. She is one of nine great-grandchildren of Mr. Mandela, who was South Africa's first black president.

The foundation said the Mandela family asked for privacy as they mourned their loss.

The World Cup soccer championship officially begins Friday, with a match-up between South Africa and Mexico in Johannesburg.

Some information for this report was provided by AP.