The Nelson Mandela Foundation made the heart-breaking announcement today that Volkswagen race car driver Gugu Zulu, 38, passed away early this morning while trying to reach the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro.
Zulu, along with his wife, Letshego Zulu, were part of a team of people who were climbing the mountain for the Trek4Mandela expedition led by experienced mountaineer Sibusiso Vilane.
A photo posted by Gugu Zulu (@guguzulu) on
“Details are sketchy. What we do know is that Gugu experienced problems breathing. The medical team supporting the trek put him on a drip and they descended the mountain with him. We are informed that the medical teams tried everything possible to save his life,” the foundation said.
Sello Hatang, CEO of the Nelson Mandela Foundation, said: “I am devastated. I knew him well. I recruited him to climb Kilimanjaro. The last thing he said to me at the airport before he left last week was that he wanted to speak about doing other Mandela Day projects. I feel a huge sense of loss.”
The team was set to reach the summit of the mountain today for Mandela Day.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Zulu’s wife, his one-year-old daughter and friends and family during this difficult time.