South Africa’s government is attempting to halt a contentious auction of 70 personal artifacts belonging to anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela.
They include a set of hearing aids, an ID card, presents from international leaders, and some of the first democratic president’s apparel, such as his signature “Madiba” shirts.
His eldest daughter, Makaziwe Mandela, is auctioning the goods in the United States.
However, the South African government claims that the goods are national property.
Items designated as national heritage are not permitted to be removed from South Africa under the country’s laws.
The South African Heritage Resources Agency (Sahra), a government entity tasked with preserving the country’s history and culture, said that it has launched an appeal to prevent the sale.
The Ministry of Sport, Arts, and Culture has endorsed the request. Minister Zizi Kodwa stated that they were supporting the lawsuit “for the sake of preserving the country’s rich heritage.”
He went on to say that preventing the sale was vital because Mandela “is integral to South Africa’s heritage.”
“It is thus important that we preserve the legacy of former President Mandela and ensure that his life’s work experiences remain in the country for generations to come.”
When the auction was initially announced in 2021, the government objected, claiming that some of the objects up for sale were national treasures.
As a result, the original auction, scheduled for 2022, was cancelled, sparking a two-year court struggle.
Last month, the High Court in Pretoria granted Ms. Mandela permission to sell the objects, rejecting the government’s claim that they were of national heritage.
Mr. Kodwa now believes the auction should not go forward since Sahra and the cultural ministry filed an appeal against the verdict last month, claiming “unpermitted export for exhibition or sale” of the objects.
The auction is scheduled to begin on January 22, although it is unclear if the government’s appeal will postpone it.
Guernsey’s Auction House, situated in New York, has already put the objects up for sale. It claims that hearing aids, for example, might cost up to $20,000 (£16,000), while a single garment could fetch up to $70,000.
Ms. Mandela has not replied to the government’s recent objection, nor have other members of the Mandela family or the Nelson Mandela Foundation.
She had previously stated that the money from the sale would be used to establish a memorial garden near Mandela’s burial location.
The upcoming auction has sparked outrage in South Africa, with some claiming the government should prohibit the sale of the “priceless” goods.
Others, however, think that the decision should be left up to Mandela’s family.
Mandela died in 2013, at the age of 95. He led the African National Congress in the fight against apartheid, a system of legally sanctioned racism, and served 27 years in jail.
He was South Africa’s first democratically elected President in 1994.
