A South African court has ruled in favor of allowing the sale and export of personal items belonging to Nelson Mandela, overturning an attempt by the country’s heritage authority to block the auction.
The Supreme Court of Appeal found that the South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) lacked legal grounds to prevent the sale.
About 70 items are set to be sent to the United States for auction. The collection includes a Robben Island cell key, Mandela’s sunglasses, a floral shirt, a signed copy of the 1996 Constitution, a tennis racquet, personal drawings, identification documents, and gifts from world leaders such as Barack and Michelle Obama.
The items are owned by Mandela’s eldest daughter, Makaziwe Mandela, and Christo Brand, a former prison warden at Robben Island who developed a close relationship with Mandela.
SAHRA had argued that the objects were part of South Africa’s national heritage and should not leave the country. However, the court said the agency failed to show why the items qualified as legally protected heritage, while the owners provided clear explanations for why they should be allowed to manage and sell them.
Makaziwe Mandela welcomed the judgment, emphasizing that her family is dedicated to preserving her father’s legacy. She noted that no final decision has been made on whether the items will be sold, although proceeds were initially planned to support a memorial garden at Mandela’s grave in Qunu, Eastern Cape.
It remains uncertain whether the government will pursue further legal action. Officials from the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture have yet to comment.
Nelson Mandela, who passed away in 2013 at age 95, was South Africa’s first black president and a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, celebrated globally for his role in ending apartheid.
