Nelson Mandela's attendance at the World Cup opening ceremony was uncertain after the death of his great granddaughter in a car crash, his office said Friday.



With regards to him being there, it's something that we will issue later on. We are all still dealing with the shock of the passing of the child," said Sello Hating, spokesman for the Mandela Foundation.

"We need to afford Madiba and his family the time to mourn," he said, referring to Mandela by his clan name.

Mandela's 13-year-old great granddaughter was killed early Friday when her car overturned on a Johannesburg highway after South Africa's World Cup concert, his office said.

Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, Nelson Mandela's ex-wife, contrary to earlier reports, was not in the car crash that killed her great granddaughter, Nelson Mandela's office said Friday, but she was taken to hospital because of her shock at the news.

The driver of the vehicle has been arrested as police investigate charges of culpable homicide, police spokeswoman Colonel Noxolo Kweza said.

"Zenani Mandela, 13, was travelling in a car returning from the World Cup kick-off concert at Orlando Stadium when the accident occurred. There was only one car involved and no one else was injured," The Mandela Foundation said in a statement.

Zenani was the granddaughter of Zindzi Mandela, one of the children born to South Africa's first black president and Winnie Madikizela-Mandela.

"Zenani, who celebrated her 13th birthday on June 9, was the eldest child of Zoleka Seakamela and one of Mr Nelson Mandela?s nine great grand-children," the Foundation said.

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/18/20100611/twl-mandela-uncertain-on-w-cup-opener-af-4bdc673.html