Ndileka Mandela

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Ndileka Mandela
Born (1965-02-22) February 22, 1965 (age 60)
Occupation(s) Nurse, social activist
Known forActivism on gender-based violence; founding the Mandela Awards
Relatives Nelson Mandela (grandfather)

Ndileka Mandela (born 22 February 1965) is a South African social activist and former nurse. She is the eldest grandchild of former president Nelson Mandela. [1] She is the head of the Thembekile Mandela Foundation, a rural development organisation in South Africa. [2]

Contents

Early life and education

Mandela was born on 22 February 1965, to Madiba Thembekile Mandela, the firstborn son of Nelson Mandela, who died in a car accident in 1969. [3] She trained as a nurse and worked in public health before moving into social development and advocacy. [4]

Career and activism

Mandela worked as a nurse (reportedly in intensive care) before focusing on activism and public advocacy. [5]

In October 2017, she publicly disclosed that she had been raped by a former partner, speaking out to help break the silence around sexual assault in South Africa and joining the global #MeToo movement. [6]

She has also spoken publicly about the responsibilities of the Mandela family and has criticised elements of the ANC leadership while defending her grandfather’s legacy. [7]

In 2023, Mandela spoke on a panel during the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP28, addressing issues of climate justice and the role of Africa in global climate action. [8] [9]

Mandela Awards

In 2024, Mandela launched the Mandela Awards, an initiative intended to honour individuals and organisations whose work reflects values of leadership, service and social impact. The awards are overseen by the Mandela Awards Commission. [10]

The first Mandela Awards ceremony was held in London in March 2024, as part of the 10th Annual Commonwealth Africa Summit at 180 Strand, Soho House. [11]

At that event, British boxer Caroline Dubois was awarded Athlete of the Year by Mandela. [12]

Business leader Queenie Porter, managing director at WOW HYDRATE and vice president of West Ham Women, was also recognised with a Business Leader of the Year award. [13]

Mandela said at the event that the purpose was to allow recipients "to narrate their own story so that nobody else can narrate it for them". [14]

Personal life

Mandela is the daughter of Madiba Thembekile Mandela and the granddaughter of Nelson Mandela. [15]

She has publicly discussed personal loss and family matters. In 2020, after the death of her aunt Zindzi Mandela, she wrote about the difficulty of carrying the Mandela name and the family’s grief. [16]

See also

References

  1. "Ndileka Mandela: 'I will never be ashamed'". Sunday Times. 8 October 2017. Retrieved 1 October 2025.
  2. "Ndileka Mandela – Thembekile Mandela Foundation". Afternoon Express. Retrieved 1 October 2025.
  3. "Mandela's granddaughter reveals she was raped in her own bedroom". TimesLive. 24 October 2017. Retrieved 1 October 2025.
  4. "Ndileka Mandela – Thembekile Mandela Foundation". Afternoon Express. Retrieved 1 October 2025.
  5. "Ndileka Mandela: 'I will never be ashamed'". Sunday Times. 8 October 2017. Retrieved 1 October 2025.
  6. "Mandela's granddaughter reveals she was raped in her own bedroom". TimesLive. 24 October 2017. Retrieved 1 October 2025.
  7. "Nelson Mandela's granddaughter criticises ANC leadership". BBC News. 26 July 2017. Retrieved 1 October 2025.
  8. "COP28 speaker Joseph Hammond on what it means for Africa". GQ South Africa. 4 December 2023. Retrieved 1 October 2025.
  9. "The Take: At the end of COP28, what was accomplished?". Al Jazeera. 12 December 2023. Retrieved 1 October 2025.
  10. "Caroline Dubois crowned Athlete of the Year by Ndileka Mandela at 2024 Mandela Awards". Boxxer. 19 March 2024. Retrieved 1 October 2025.
  11. "Caroline Dubois crowned Athlete of the Year by Ndileka Mandela at 2024 Mandela Awards". Boxxer. 19 March 2024. Retrieved 1 October 2025.
  12. "Caroline Dubois crowned Athlete of the Year by Ndileka Mandela at 2024 Mandela Awards". Boxxer. 19 March 2024. Retrieved 1 October 2025.
  13. "IBO World Champion Caroline Dubois honored by Ndileka Mandela at 2024 Mandela Awards". MyMMANews. 19 March 2024. Retrieved 1 October 2025.
  14. "Caroline Dubois crowned Athlete of the Year by Ndileka Mandela at 2024 Mandela Awards". Boxxer. 19 March 2024. Retrieved 1 October 2025.
  15. "Mandela's granddaughter reveals she was raped in her own bedroom". TimesLive. 24 October 2017. Retrieved 1 October 2025.
  16. "'Tell me, how do we move forward as a family?' – Ndileka Mandela on Zindzi's death". TimesLive. 14 July 2020. Retrieved 1 October 2025.