Under the hammer — row over planned auction of Mandela’s personal belongings

A screenshot from the LiveAuction website showing some of Nelson Mandela’s items being put under the hammer. (Photo: LiveAuctioneers)

By Suné Payne

25 Jan 2024

Items that belonged to Nelson Mandela will be auctioned at the end of February. While proceeds will go to a memorial garden in Mandela’s home village, critics say historical artefacts should belong to the country and not individuals.

"We believe it to be self-evident that this item requires the protections afforded by South Africa’s heritage legislation,” the Nelson Mandela Foundation said about the former President’s ID document being auctioned.

mandela auctions id book Up for auction: Nelson Mandela’s 1993 ID Book has been set at a minimum bid price of $75,000 (about R1.4m). (Photo: LiveAuctioneers)

Over the past week, there has been an outcry over Guernsey’s auction, planned for 22 February, of almost 100 of Mandela’s possessions, including signed books, gifts from international leaders, walking sticks and T-shirts.

According to the auction website, the items come from the Mandela family and proceeds will be used to build the Mandela Memorial Garden at his graveside in Qunu in the Eastern Cape.

“For those who lived through Nelson Mandela’s remarkable struggle for freedom, and for future generations, the garden will serve as an inspirational reminder of a man whose life impacted us all,” the auction house said.

The Nelson Mandela Foundation’s communications officer, Morongwa Phukubye, told Daily Maverick: “It is important to acknowledge that Madiba had no in-principle objection to personal belongings of his being auctioned in fundraising initiatives for good causes. On the contrary, he himself donated items for this purpose many times.”

Phukubye said the foundation still had a few objects given by Mandela specifically for “this kind of fundraising”. However, questions of ownership, authenticity and the heritage of the items to be auctioned needed to be answered.

“In terms of the auction and the items currently under discussion, we have not had access to the artefacts themselves nor to the kind of detailed contextual evidence required to support clear-cut answers to these questions,” she said.

mandela auction Nelson Mandela’s spiralled walking stick. Estimated at $15,000-$20,000. (Photo: AuctionLive)

However, regarding Mandela’s identity document, “We believe it to be self-evident that this item requires the protections afforded by South Africa’s heritage legislation,” said Phukubye.

The ID document, issued on 24 February 1993, has a current bid price of $75,000 (R1,418,834) on a bidding website.

‘Disgrace’

One of Mandela’s grandsons, Ndaba Mandela, described the auction as a “disgrace”, News24 reported.

The items are being sold by Mandela’s daughter Makaziwe Mandela and his former prison warder Christo Brand, according to News24.

Makaziwe Mandela, Mandela’s eldest daughter, told The New York Times the memorial garden would honour her father by boosting local tourism.

“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 said.

mandela auction A screenshot from the LiveAuction website shows some of Nelson Mandela’s items being put under the hammer. (Photo: LiveAuctioneers)

The South African Heritage Resources Agency (Sahra) said the auction raised “significant concerns” for themselves and the Robben Island Museum, who in the past have unsuccessfully taken court action to prevent similar auctions.

“Sahra … and the museum are urgently assessing the lawfulness and implications of the impending auction, and considering all available remedies,” said the agency’s Yazeed Sadien.

“This is not only to protect and promote a commitment to conserving South Africa’s rich cultural heritage but also to contributing to the global discourse on responsible cultural heritage stewardship.”

Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Zizi Kodwa said he supported Sahra and the museum.

“Former President Nelson Mandela is integral to South Africa’s heritage. His life, experiences and legacy live in our consciousness and in the values we promote as a country,” he said in a media release.

“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.” DM

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‘Disgrace’