Auction of Nelson Mandela's Personal Belongings Suspended With No Explanation

Update: This story has been updated following the suspension of the auction.

After winning a two-year legal battle with the South African government, Nelson Mandela’s oldest daughter, Makaziwe Mandela had plans to carry on selling personal items belonging to the country’s former president. On January 29, New York City-based Guernsey announced that the sale set for Feb. 22, 2024 has been suspended with no reason given. The U.S. auction house planned to sell around 70 items, including Mandela’s South African Identification book, reading glasses, gifts from world leaders, and some of his walking sticks. Items had already been listed for sale, including his hearing aids for up to $20,000, and a shirt for close to $70,000.

Since its announcement, the planned auctioning off of the late president’s personal items has been riddled with controversy. In December 2023, the South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA), the national body in charge of protecting the country’s cultural heritage, said it “had filed an appeal to block the sale.” The agency claims that the former president’s belongings are of national heritage. Mandela said she planned on using the proceeds towards the construction of a memorial garden close to where the former president is buried.

Under South African law, items considered to be of national heritage cannot be taken out of the country. But the three-judge panel of the High Court in Pretoria ruled that SAHRA’s claim that the objects are of national heritage was “overboard.” Ndaba Mandela, the late president’s grandson opposed the auction too, publicly shaming his aunt by saying, “Who sells their father’s ID?”

Minister for Sport, Arts, and Culture, Zizi Kodwa, spoke of his ministry supporting the case “for the sake of maintaining the country’s rich heritage,” highlighting that “it is thus important that we preserve the legacy of former President Mandela and ensure that his life's work experiences remain in the country for generations to come.”

For South Africans, and indeed the world, the question remains, who should own heritage items, specifically personal effects belonging to national icons? Should they belong to the icons’ family or be under the jurisdiction of the government?

On X (formerly Twitter), South Africans were unhappy when the sale was initially announced. Media personality, Anele Mdoda wrote: “Jokes aside with this Mandela auction but this is how national treasures end up in museums in Europe. But he was not our grandpa so….”

“Mmmm..This is THE Nelson Mandela," said user Redi Tlhabi. "I'm surprised one has to auction any of his things to raise money to memorialize him. I can think of at least 20 people internationally who would donate to that initiative. These treasures of statesmen live in museums... Their history is priceless."

Another user, Vuyiswa Ramokgop, wrote: “This Mandela auction is actually a perfect metaphor of what is being done to our country AT SCALE by the so-called ‘descendants’ of the heroes of the struggle. The good guys are gone. Only the hungry & self-serving are left and they won't stop until they've destroyed everything.”