Nelson Mandela was the first president of a democratic South Africa
Johannesburg:
Auctions say a planned auction of the key to the cell where South Africa’s first black president and anti-apartheid hero Nelson Mandela was held, has been suspended, auction houses say. prices said on Friday.
The key to the Robben Island cell, where Mandela served 18 years out of 27, has been surrendered by US auction house Guernsey’s scheduled to turn in on January 28.
Guernsey’s has announced on its website that the auction has been postponed until further notice “pending review” by the South African Heritage Resources Authority.
The government agency called for the auction to be stopped “not because they believe anything was stolen but that things left South Africa without the necessary permits”, Guernsey’s president, Arlan Ettinger, said. with AFP by phone.
Culture and Arts Minister Nathi Mthethwa praised the auction house for agreeing to halt the auction.
In a statement, the ministry said “the key symbolizes South Africa’s traumatic history and symbolizes the victory of the human spirit over evil.
“This key is living proof of South Africans’ long walk to freedom and belongs to the people of South Africa. It must therefore be legally returned to the country.”
The key was one of the items being sold at auction, among a wide variety that included the iconic “Madiba” shirt, eyeglasses and ceremonial pens.
Proceeds will be used to build the Mandela Memorial Garden in his hometown, where his remains are buried.
Ettinger said his company had been contacted by one of Mandela’s daughters to auction off supplies, including keys.
Christo Brand, Mandela’s former jailer who forged a lasting and unlikely friendship with the anti-apartheid symbol, has owned the key since the 1980s.
It broke down and he “sends it back to the authorities on the main plot, … but it was returned to him, he put it in a drawer and it stayed there for 30 years until he was contacted by a museum with a collection of things related to Mandela,” Ettinger said, praising Brand for being “very generous in giving up this ownership to help build the garden”.
The auctioneers explained that they had complied with the government’s decision.
“I know he is bothering the Mandela family, it upsets us, but … they (the government) are doing what they think is best, we just don’t agree with them,” he said. speak.
AFP was unable to receive any immediate response from the Mandela family.
Mandela was elected the first president of democratic South Africa in May 1994 and held this role until June 1999.
He died at the age of 95 in December 2013.
