Heidi Holland's death shrouded in mystery

2012-08-13 08:33

Heidi Holland poses in this 1993 photo with Nelson Mandela. (Louise Gubb, AP)

Johannesburg - A well-known journalist and author as well as a close friend of Heidi Holland has described her death as a mystery.

The Sunday Independent carried a report by Fiona Forde in which she detailed how she last saw the vivacious 64-year-old last Wednesday evening at her Melville guesthouse.

Holland’s body was found in her home on Saturday morning. She had not been seen since Thursday evening and early reports indicated that she had taken her own life.

Forde said she chatted to Holland on Wednesday night for a few hours before leaving her guesthouse, Melville House.

Her last words to Forde were: “I will see you for breakfast in the morning, doll”.

Forde described her “chirpy tone” and their lively conversation on this last evening. When there was no sign of Holland in the morning, a note was handed to her that read:  “Sorry I won’t see you for breakfast, doll. I have to see the doctor. But I will see you soon. Hx”.

Holland was not seen again.

She was best known for her best-selling book Dinner with Mugabe, which was published in 2008.

- News24