Mandela’s Last Years, written by Lt. Gen. Dr. Vejaynand Ramlakan, was released last week to coincide with Mr. Mandela’s birthday July 18.
Mr. Mandela’s widow, Graca Machel, reportedly threatened legal action against Dr. Ramlakan and the publishing house, stating the contents of the book “revealed several undignified episodes at the end of [Mr.] Mandela’s life” and “breach[ed] patient confidentiality,” according to the report.
Ms. Machel also claimed she and her family had not been consulted for the book. Dr. Ramlakan told a local South African television station, “We received permission from the family. All parties who needed to be consulted were consulted,” the report states.
In addition to immediately withdrawing the book, Penguin Random House said in a statement “no further copies will be issued.” The publisher did not specify how many copies of the book had already been sold.
The publisher said the book “was meant to portray Nelson Mandela’s courage and strength until the very end of his life, and was in no way intended to be disrespectful,” The Telegraph reports.
Mr. Mandela served as the first democratically elected president of South Africa from 1994 to 1999. He died on Dec. 5, 2013, at the age of 95.
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