US auction of Mandela heritage items halted

Johannesburg, Jan 8 (PTI): US-based Guernsey’s Auction House has agreed to suspend its planned auction of the key to the cell on Robben Island where former President Nelson Mandela served out most of his 27 years as a political prisoner before becoming the first democratically-elected president of South Africa in 199.

US auction of Mandela heritage items halted

Johannesburg, Jan 8 (PTI): US-based Guernsey’s Auction House has agreed to suspend its planned auction of the key to the cell on Robben Island where former President Nelson Mandela served out most of his 27 years as a political prisoner before becoming the first democratically-elected president of South Africa in 1994.

This followed interventions by the South Africa government after it emerged that the key had been made available for auction on January 22 alongside other Mandela curios.

The online sale of the key was expected to fetch more than a million pounds. Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Nathi Mthethwa, who welcomed the decision, said that the key belonged to the South African nation in terms of the National Heritage Resources Act.

“The key symbolises South Africa’s painful history whilst also representing triumph 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 therefore must rightfully be returned to the country,” Mthethwa said on Friday after learning of the decision. Mthethwa ordered an investigation into reports that the key had been provided to Guernsey’s by Christo Brand, who was Mandela’s jailer and later became a tour guide on Robben Island as part of reconciliation attempts after Mandela ascended to power.

The minister said whether this was true or not, it was a serious matter which was receiving attention at the highest levels.

He said the master key to the Robben Island cells was still there, so the investigation would determine whether Mandela’s cell key was duplicated.

“No individual has the right to possess this important object of cultural and heritage significance. Robben Island is a national monument and national museum, and is also a World Heritage Site, declared by UNESCO in 1999, and therefore is governed by so many heritage declarations,” Mthethwa said.

Guernsey’s has undertaken to arrange for the key to be returned to South Africa in consultation with relevant South African authorities. Details of such arrangements will be made available later.

Guernsey’s has also agreed to halt the sale of various other items which belonged to Mandela, as the South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) believes that such items also form part of the national estate.

SAHRA had worked together with the Departments of Sport, Arts and Culture; International Relations and Cooperation; and Justice and Correctional Services as well the Robben Island Museum, Office of the Solicitor General and Office of the Chief State Law Advisors on the negotiations with Guernsey’s.

Mthethwa said SAHRA should engage the Mandela family and the Nelson Mandela Foundation with a view to establishing whether all other items intended for auctioning form part of the national estate.

The auction house had earlier said the items on auction included Mandela’s eyeglasses‚ ceremonial pens he received from President George W Bush and the UN‚ and a powerful bronze cast of his fist. PTI FH RHL

(This story is published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. No editing has been done in the headline or the body by ABP Live.)