The South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) confirmed that the auction of approximately 74 artefacts belonging to the late former president Nelson Mandela has been suspended again pending its court application to completely halt the auction.
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The already-set-up online auction was initially scheduled for 22 February by Dr Makaziwe Mandela, the late former president’s eldest daughter, in conjunction with New York-based Geurnsey’s Auction House.
The auction house, without explanation, posted the suspension notice on its website on Monday before removing details around it from the site.
This comes almost two weeks after the agency announced it was considering filing a leave of appeal application in a bid to halt it.
The controversial auction had received widespread criticism, with the government supporting SAHRA’s court application to appeal an earlier court judgement that gave the auction the green light.
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SAHRA spokesperson Yazeed Sadien said on Tuesday that the heritage agency had engaged with Guernsey and Makaziwe to suspend the auction to allow the ongoing legal proceedings to be finalised.
‘SAHRA welcomes the decision by Guernsey’s Auction House to suspend the auction. This aligns with our commitment to the conservation of SA’s cultural heritage, and we appreciate the recognition of the sensitivity surrounding these significant artefacts,’ said Sadien.
Sadien added that, as the agency pursued its application, the suspension was a responsible and considerate approach.
‘As SAHRA pursues the application for leave to appeal the recent High Court judgement related to the export of heritage objects, the suspension of the auction is a responsible and considerate approach. It allows the ongoing legal proceedings to be concluded and affords SAHRA the opportunity to pursue its objective of preserving the cultural heritage of our nation,’ he added.
‘We value the cooperation of Guernsey’s Auction House in this matter.’
NEWS: The South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) has welcomed the decision to suspend the auctioning of Nelson Mandela’s items. pic.twitter.com/1A7RgZCVCh
— Sihle Mavuso (@ZANewsFlash) January 30, 2024
This is the second time the auctioneers have suspended the sale, according to the Times Live.
The auction was initially planned for 28 January 2022 but was put on hold by a legal battle between SAHRA, Mandela’s former prison warder David Parr and Makaziwe, which had attempted to stop the sale.
The court dismissed SAHRA’s interdict application in December, stating there was little evidence to support the claim that all the items were heritage objects.
The auction items included Mandela’s iconic Madiba shirts and Ray-Ban sunglasses, a walking stick, drawings he sketched while in jail, an ID book and gifts from high-profile friends.
According to News24, proceeds from the auction scheduled for February 2024 were expected to fund the creation of the Mandela Memorial Garden around Madiba’s grave in Qunu, Eastern Cape.
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Picture: @geoffreyyork / X