Nelson Mandela’s heirs have been torn apart since the death of the South African icon in 2013. For the past few months, thefts of objects have been mentioned. In April 2021, Nelson Mandela’s grandson, Ndaba, who lives in the former home of the Nobel Peace Prize winner in Johannesburg, returns from vacation. He pushes the door and everything is “empty”. Sofas, curtains, rugs, paintings. According to Ndaba Mandela, even the “his grandfather’s bed, his clothes, his chairs, his lamps”everything is gone.
He suspects one of his aunts, the eldest daughter of anti-apartheid figure Makaziwe, and files a complaint for theft. Ndaba’s brother was on the property when the items were stolen. A few months later, the objects reappear, where the heirs did not expect them.
Nelson Mandela’s grandchildren learn from a friend who lives in the United States that their precious objects, the heritage of their family, and of an entire nation, are auctioned off in New York by Guernsey’s. Ndaba Mandela is “shocked”, “these items are stolen“, he said, “they don’t belong” to his aunt, who “try to make use of it”. The sale features at least 11 items of high value according to the family, including several of the former president’s colorful iconic shirts and his passport.
Makaziwe, the daughter of Mandela behind this unauthorized sale, even managed to recover the key to the prison cell on Robben Island where her father spent many years, 18 years out of the 27 years of imprisonment. . It was his former guard, who became a friend, Christo Brand, who gave it to him. Given the controversy, he finally decided to withdraw the key from the sale. Makaziwe planned to finance a garden in memory of Nelson Mandela with this money. What the rest of the family doubts.
In the end, because of all these controversies, the sale did not take place. The date of January 28 had been set but the family against Makaziwe’s idea lobbied and the sale was canceled. The South African government also got involved. These objects are part “of the national heritage and must be subject to an application for a permit in the event of export”, indicates the agency responsible for heritage South African Heritage Resources Agency, which has obviously not been done. In particular, she looks closely at the key to the famous cell, as well as a South African Constitution signed by the former president. National treasures that were going to be sold to the highest bidder.
Treasures that are still in New York today. The country is waiting for them to be returned, but this requires finding a way to bring them back safely. The Mandela family is still torn around the place where these objects will remain once they return to the territory. With those who want to sell them, or with others?