In a landmark decision, 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 the late anti-apartheid hero, Nelson Mandela. The 70 personal items, including a cell key from Robben Island, Mandela’s iconic floral shirts, and a pair of Aviator sunglasses, will now be auctioned off in the United States.
The objects belong to Mandela’s eldest daughter, Makaziwe Mandela, and Christo Brand, a Robben Island warden during Mandela’s incarceration. The South African Heritage Resources Agency (Sahra) had initially attempted to block the sale, claiming the items were part of the country’s heritage and were legally protected from export.
However, the Supreme Court of Appeal ruled that Sahra’s interpretation of the National Heritage Resources Act was overly broad. The court argued that Makaziwe and Brand had provided detailed explanations as to why their respective assets were not heritage objects, while Sahra failed to justify its position.
Makaziwe Mandela, Mandela’s only daughter with his first wife, welcomed the court’s judgment, criticising the heritage agency for presuming “to know my father’s last wishes better than those who were beside him at the end – his family.”
“Nobody is more invested in ensuring Tata’s [Mandela’s] legacy endures in the way he would want to be remembered than those who carry his name,” she said.
The decision has sparked a debate within South Africa, with some arguing that items connected to Mandela should be kept in the country for future generations, while others believe the family should have the final say on what happens to the objects.
Mandela, who died in 2013 at the age of 95, led the African National Congress in its struggle against apartheid and became South Africa’s first democratically elected president in 1994. The auctioning of his personal possessions is set to be a significant cultural event, shedding light on the legacy of one of the world’s most revered figures.
