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Mandela's son dies of AIDS

Thursday, January 6, 2005 (Johannesburg):

Former South African President Nelson Mandela on Thursday announced that
his eldest son had died of AIDS.

Makgatho Mandela, an attorney, was admitted to Linksfield Park Clinic in
Johannesburg last month.

He died on Thursday at the age of 54.

At a news conference at his Johannesburg residence, Mandela said he had
not been aware of his son's illness when he began lobbying for more
openness about the pandemic some three years ago.

"I had no idea when I started this campaign three years ago that it will
also affect a member of my family," the former President said.

"I was stating a general principle that we must not hide the cause the
death of our families because that is the only way we can make people
understand that HIV is an ordinary disease, that's why we called you
here today to announce that my son has died of AIDS," he added.

Killer virus

More than five million of South Africa's 45 million people are infected
with HIV - more than in any other country.

Mandela, a frequent visitor at his son's bedside, was surrounded by
sombre relatives at Thursday's news conference, including Makgatho's
only surviving sister and two of Makgatho's sons.

Makgatho Mandela was one of four children from Mandela's first marriage
to Evelyn Mase, who died in May 2004 at the age of 82.

A daughter died in 1948 before she was a year old and another son was
killed in a car crash in 1969 while Mandela was in prison.

Last year, Makgatho Mandela's wife, Zondi, died of pneumonia. The couple
had three sons. Mandela also had a son from an earlier marriage.

Makgatho Mandela will be buried January 15 in the family's home village
of Qunu in the Eastern Cape province.

A memorial service has been scheduled for January 11 at a venue to be
decided. (AP)



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