Cape Town, South Africa (PANA) – Global auction house Guernsey's on Tuesday announced that an auction of more than 100 of Nelson Mandela's personal items has been suspended. Guernsey's has yet to provide an explanation.
The auction, which was scheduled for 22 February in New York, was to include the sale of the world statesman's identity document, shoes, shirts, glasses, and even his hearing aids.
The planned auction in New York sparked an outcry with the Nelson Mandela Foundation saying the Nobel Laureate’s personal items should be protected by heritage authorities.
The Nelson Mandela Foundation's acting CEO Verne Harris, said the heritage value of the items needed to be established.
With regards to Mandela’s 1993 identity document – issued the year before he was elected President – Harris said “we believe it to be self-evident that this item requires the protections afforded by South Africa's heritage legislation”.
The SA Heritage Resources Agency last year sought an interdict to prevent Mandela's eldest daughter, Makaziwe Mandela, from selling his personal belongings, but this was dismissed by a Pretoria court.
-0- PANA CU/MA 30Jan2024
