The government of South Africa is planning to file an appeal and block the export of some 70 artifacts formerly belonging to the country's anti-apartheid champion Nelson Mandela, ahead of the February sale of said objects managed by the New York-based auction house Guernsey's.
A photograph of Nelson Mandela taken at the Foundation built in his honor, dated May 13, 2008.
SAHRA Moves to Block the Mandela Auction Again
The appeal itself is made after a December 2023 ruling by the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria regarding the case initiated by the South African Heritage Resources Agency, the government body tasked with the conservation and preservation of the country's historical and cultural artifacts.
The planned sale on Feb. 22, which is co-planned by Nelson's eldest daughter Makaziwe Mandela, comprises a pair of hearing aids formerly used by the South African hero, his national ID card, and gifts from world leaders.
As per Guernsey's website, the items have already been officially listed in the sale alongside the publishing of an 80-page auction catalog. However, the South African government still classifies most of the auction-confirmed items as "national heritage," consequently barring their export.
The nation's Minister for Sport, Arts, and Culture, Zizi Kodwa, said in a statement posted to X (formerly Twitter) that: "Former president Nelson 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 and experiences remain in the country for generations to come," he added.
The ruling made by the three-judge court in South Africa's capital disputed the government's argument that the items were "heritage objects," giving the go-signal to the auction. The government swiftly filed the appeal shortly after the decision.
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Other Items Included in the Mandela Auction
The auction was initiated to raise funds for the construction of the Mandela Memorial Garden, a 24-acre project planned to be built in the Eastern Cape village of Qunu, Mandela's hometown and place of burial.
All in all, the auction house estimates that the 70-lot sale will generate between $2 million to $3 million.
Dr. Makaziwe told the New York Times in an interview: "I want other people in the world to have a piece of Nelson Mandela and to remind them, especially in the current situation, of compassion, of kindness, of forgiveness."
She added that she specifically sought the services of Guernsey's auction house after seeing how it handled the selling of personal artifacts owned by other "important people who were fighting for freedom" such as Rosa Parks and John F. Kennedy.
Among the lots include letters written by Nelson himself during his time in Robben Island prison, alongside artwork he had made in that same period and a tennis racket he used while incarcerated there.
Another item of note is a gift from former US President Barrack Obama, a woven wool blanket in the stylings of the American flag.
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