The auction of former President Nelson Mandela's belongings, including his Identity Document (I.D) and sixty-nine other items, is scheduled to take place. This follows Mandela's daughter, Makaziwe, winning a two-year legal battle against the South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA), who opposed the sale of these valuable items.
Originally planned for January 28, 2022, the sale was temporarily halted by SAHRA, which claimed that the items should be considered heritage objects and requested their return to South Africa through the Pretoria High Court.
However, in December, the court dismissed SAHRA's application for an interdict, citing insufficient evidence to support the claim that the items qualified as heritage objects under the Heritage Act. With the application dismissed, the auction will proceed as planned.
The collection of items is said to include Mandela's 1993 ID, letters from his time in prison, his walking stick, sketches he made while incarcerated, and various gifts received, including one from former US President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle.
Guernsey, a New York-based company, has been selected to conduct the auction, which is now scheduled for February 22. They expressed the significance of owning artifacts connected to a globally inspiring figure like Nelson Mandela and described the upcoming auction as remarkable. Nearly 100 cherished items will be presented for auction without reserve, according to Guernsey.
The proceeds from the auction, as reported by TimesLive, will be utilized to establish a memorial garden at Mandela's gravesite.
