75 Mandela Memorabilia Items Auctioned Amid South Africa's Backlash... Auction House Responds

US Auction House to Auction 75 Mandela Memorabilia Items
Including Mandela ID, Letters, Shirts, and More

The personal belongings of Nelson Mandela, the founding father and former president of South Africa, are set to be auctioned, prompting strong opposition from the South African government. On the 21st (local time), foreign media including The New York Times and BBC reported that Guernsey, an auction house headquartered in New York, USA, announced it will auction 75 items of former President Nelson Mandela's belongings on the 22nd of next month.

Former South African President Nelson Mandela
[Photo by AP·Yonhap News]

The items Guernsey plans to auction include various belongings such as the identification booklet Mandela made for the first time after his release, his sunglasses and shirt, and letters he wrote in prison. Mandela was a figure who devoted his life to abolishing South Africa's apartheid policy, spending 27 years in prison, and was the first black president elected through South Africa's universal suffrage. Upon news that dozens of belongings written by the founding father of South Africa would be auctioned, the South African government strongly opposed it.

The South African Ministry of Culture filed a lawsuit in court requesting the suspension of unauthorized sale and export of the artifacts. Zizi Kodwa and the Minister of Culture of South Africa stated in a press release, "Former President Mandela is the core of South African heritage," adding, "The items containing his life, experiences, and lifetime must be legally guaranteed to remain in South Africa for future generations."

The identification booklet created for the first time after the release from prison by Nelson Mandela, former President of South Africa and national hero.
[Photo by Guernsey's Auction House]

In this regard, the South African Heritage Resources Agency also filed a lawsuit for an injunction to prohibit the auction at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria, South Africa, but it was dismissed. Netizens have also criticized the auctioning of Mandela's legacy, saying, "It is inappropriate to auction off the cultural heritage of another country." As the controversy spread, Guernsey stated, "This auction is part of fundraising to support the establishment of a memorial garden near the burial site of President Mandela of South Africa."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.