A South African court has dismissed an appeal by the country's heritage body to stop the sale and export of various artefacts connected to anti-apartheid hero Nelson Mandela. The 70 personal items include a cell key from Robben Island, where Mandela was imprisoned for 18 of the 27 years he was locked up, a pair of Aviator sunglasses, and one of his signature floral shirts. They were due to be exported to the US for auction.
The objects belong to his eldest daughter, Makaziwe Mandela, and Christo Brand, a Robben Island warden during Mandela's incarceration. In trying to stop their sale, the authorities claimed they were part of the country's heritage and thus legally protected from export.
The South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) discovered the potential sale through a British newspaper article from late 2021, estimating that the key could go for more than £1m ($1.35m). They wrote to the US auction house, Guernsey, asking it to halt the auction and return the assets to South Africa.
Other items include a signed copy of the 1996 South African Constitution, one of Mandela's charcoal drawings, an ID card, a tennis racquet he used on Robben Island, and gifts from world leaders, including one from former President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle.
Makaziwe Mandela aimed to use the proceeds from the sale to create a memorial garden at her father’s grave in Qunu, in Eastern Cape.
In its decision, the Supreme Court of Appeal argued that SAHRA's interpretation of the National Heritage Resources Act was overly broad and emphasized that the heirs provided clear reasons why their items did not qualify as heritage objects. It remains unclear whether the authorities will pursue other legal avenues to block the sale, but the debate continues over whether such important pieces of Mandela's legacy should remain in South Africa.
The objects belong to his eldest daughter, Makaziwe Mandela, and Christo Brand, a Robben Island warden during Mandela's incarceration. In trying to stop their sale, the authorities claimed they were part of the country's heritage and thus legally protected from export.
The South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) discovered the potential sale through a British newspaper article from late 2021, estimating that the key could go for more than £1m ($1.35m). They wrote to the US auction house, Guernsey, asking it to halt the auction and return the assets to South Africa.
Other items include a signed copy of the 1996 South African Constitution, one of Mandela's charcoal drawings, an ID card, a tennis racquet he used on Robben Island, and gifts from world leaders, including one from former President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle.
Makaziwe Mandela aimed to use the proceeds from the sale to create a memorial garden at her father’s grave in Qunu, in Eastern Cape.
In its decision, the Supreme Court of Appeal argued that SAHRA's interpretation of the National Heritage Resources Act was overly broad and emphasized that the heirs provided clear reasons why their items did not qualify as heritage objects. It remains unclear whether the authorities will pursue other legal avenues to block the sale, but the debate continues over whether such important pieces of Mandela's legacy should remain in South Africa.
