Wednesday, January 31, 2024 – The sale of Nelson Mandela’s items, including his Identity Document (ID), at an auction has been suspended.
The
highly criticized auction was set to take place on 22 February, however,
Guernsey’s auction house in New York removed Mandela’s items from their
website.
The former President’s eldest daughter with his first wife
Evelyn Mase, Makaziwe, wanted to auction off items, including letters the
former Statesman wrote while jailed at Robben Island, a gift from former US President
Barack Obama and his wife Michelle, his reading glasses as well as his ID book
issued in 1993.
The initial date for the auction was 28 January 2022,
however, following a two-year legal battle, a High Court ruled in favour of
Makaziwe and a new date was set.
The company, which estimated the collective value of the 70
items to be between $2 million (R38 million) and $3 million (R56 million),
revealed that proceeds from the auction are intended to finance a memorial
garden honouring Mandela in Qunu, his final resting place.
The Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Zizi Kodwa had
also criticised the auction and argued that Mandela is integral to South
Africa’s heritage.
“His life, experiences, and legacy live in our consciousness
and the values we promote as a country. 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 said.
Kodwa
added that the legacy of former President Mandela and many others who have
contributed to getting South Africa to where it is today as a free, democratic,
and culturally diverse nation cannot be forgotten.
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