Cape Town — The South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) is seeking to keep the legal battel of Nelson Mandela’s belongs alive as they want to appeal the judgement.
The Mandela family made the decision to auction off Madiba’s most prized possessions including his original ID book, some of his famous shirts, his walking stick and gifts at an auction held by New York-based auction company, Guernsey’s. The auction date is set for 22 February.
However, SAHRA have not taken this decision lightly and have decided to appeal the judgement by the High Court. Acting judge in the high court in Pretoria, Vuyani Ngalwana, labelled the agency’s case as a “hail Mary exercise” in the judgment which favoured Makaziwe, TimesLIVE reported
“The application is pending before the high court. SAHRA, the department and the Robben Island Museum are urgently assessing the lawfulness and implications of the impending auction and considering all available remedies,” the agency stated in response to the announcement of the auction.
Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Zizi Kodwa, supported the application by SAHRA to appeal the judgement, saying the items belonging to Mandela are critical to South Africa’s rich cultural heritage.
“Former president Nelson Mandela is integral to South Africa’s heritage. His life, experiences and legacy live in our consciousness and in the values we promote as a country. t is thus important that we preserve the legacy of former president Mandela and ensure his life’s work and experiences remain in the country for generations to come,” he said.
“It is important for us to record and tell our stories to deepen our heritage. The legacy of former president Mandela, and many others who have contributed to get South Africa to where it is today as a free, democratic, and culturally diverse nation, cannot be forgotten. It is therefore critical to support the intervention by Sahra for the sake of maintaining the country’s rich heritage,” he added.
I support the application by SAHRA, with @SportArtsCultur and @robben_island, to appeal the judgement relating to the unpermitted export for exhibition or the sale on auction of items associated with former President Nelson Mandela. It is critical to maintain our rich heritage https://t.co/HsMrG7gnp4
— Minister of Sport, Arts & Culture (@zizikodwa) January 19, 2024
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Compiled by Matthew Petersen
