South African government says it plans to prevent an auction of historic Mandela artifacts
The South African government says it will challenge an auction of artifacts belonging to the country’s anti-apartheid stalwart Nelson Mandela
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — The South African government announced Friday it will challenge the auctioning of dozens of artifacts belonging to the nation's anti-apartheid stalwart Nelson Mandela, saying the items are of historical significance and should be preserved in the country.
The 75 artifacts belonging to Mandela, the country's first democratically elected president who spent 27 years in jail for his anti-apartheid struggle against the white minority government, are to go under the hammer on Feb. 22 in a deal between New York-based auctioneers Guernsey’s and Mandela's family, mainly his daughter Dr. Makaziwe Mandela.
The items include Nelson Mandela's iconic Ray-Ban sunglasses and “Madiba” shirts, personal letters he wrote from prison, as well as a blanket gifted to him by former President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle.
