Nelson Mandela’s items to be auctioned
Former President of South Africa Nelson Mandela’s personal belongings are set to be auctioned.
The South African government had tried to block the sale saying the items were artifacts of national heritage.
Proceeds from the auction are intended to finance a memorial garden honouring Mandela, who dedicated most of his life to emancipating South Africa from white minority rule, the organisers said.
He died at age 95 in 2013, 23 years after his release from prison and 19 years after he was elected president.
The auction house has estimated the collective value of the 70 lots to be between $2 million and $3 million. Makaziwe Mandela, who holds a doctorate in anthropology, has authorised the auction as a fundraiser for the building of the Mandela Memorial Garden, which is planned for 24 acres in the Eastern Cape village of Qunu, where her father grew up and was buried.
Nelson Mandela’s passport
Nelson Mandela’s shirt worn after his release from prison
Makaziwe set to auction Nelson Mandela’s ID together with colorful Madiba shirts and the shirt he wore when meeting Queen Elizabeth.A pair of Ray Bans; his reading glasses; the pinstripe suit he was wearing when elected President; and a tennis racquet he used on Robben Island. pic.twitter.com/kuHskHJzjO
— NewsOclock (@NewsOclock_SA) January 19, 2024
Dear South Africa,
Selling Nelson Mandela’s deeply personal things such as his shirts is a very low point that as a country you should STOP!
Imagine a Nazi racist buying Nelson Mandela’s shirt, or a drug dealer buying his brief case and showing it off with drugs in it.
As a… pic.twitter.com/zgZzmVy5HD
— Hopewell Chin’ono (@daddyhope) January 19, 2024
