Summary
A court in South Africa has allowed Nelson Mandela's daughter to sell and export 70 personal items, including a prison key, sunglasses, and a floral shirt. The court dismissed an appeal by the country's heritage body that sought to stop the sale, arguing the items were part of national heritage. The auction proceeds are intended to fund a memorial garden at Mandela's gravesite.
Key Facts
- A South African court allowed the sale of Nelson Mandela's personal items, including a prison cell key.
- Mandela's daughter, Makaziwe Mandela, and Christo Brand, a former prison warden, own the items.
- The South African Heritage Resources Agency tried to stop the sale, claiming the items were part of national heritage.
- The court ruled that the interpretation of national heritage by the agency was too broad.
- Items set for auction include Mandela's sunglasses, floral shirt, and a signed copy of the 1996 South African Constitution.
- Proceeds from the auction will go to creating a memorial garden at Mandela's gravesite.
- Mandela spent 27 years in prison and was South Africa's first democratically elected president.
- The Supreme Court of Appeal found the heritage agency did not sufficiently explain its reasons for blocking the sale.
