The auction of the key to the cell where anti-apartheid hero Nelson Mandela was locked in South Africa, before he became the country's first black president, has been suspended, the auction house announced on Friday.
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The key to this Robben Island prison cell, where Mandela lived during 18 of his 27 years in the apartheid regime, was to be put up for sale on January 28 by the American auction house Guernsey's. The latter announced on its website the postponement sine die of the sale where, in addition to the key, various objects related to Mandela were offered,
"pending verifications"
from the African Heritage Agency. South (SAHRA). The SAHRA has called on Guernsey's
"to stop the sale (...) because it thinks things have left South Africa without the necessary permits
," the chairman of the company told AFP by telephone. the Arlan Ettinger auction house.
South African Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa welcomed the decision to halt the sale.
“The key symbolizes the painful history of South Africa but also represents the triumph of the human spirit over evil
,” he said in a statement.
“This key is living proof of the long march of South Africans to freedom and belongs to the people of South Africa.
Consequently, it must legitimately be returned to the country ”
.
The key held by Mandela's former keeper
In addition to the key, the auction program included an assortment of items belonging to "Madiba" - Mandela's nickname - including an iconic shirt, sunglasses and protocol pens. The proceeds from the sale were to be used to build a Memorial Garden dedicated to Mandela in his native village, where he is buried.
Arlan Ettinger said his company had been contacted by one of Mandela's daughters to put the items - including the key - up for auction. The key was held until now by Christo Brand, former guardian of Mandela with whom he had formed a surprising and lasting friendship. He had
"returned the key to the authorities (...) but it was returned to him and he had put it in a drawer in which it remained for 30 years"
, explained Arlan Ettinger, adding that Christo Brand had agreed to give it up in order to build the garden.
"I know it's heartbreaking for the Mandela family, heartbreaking for us"
but the government
"is doing what it thinks is best. We just disagree with them ”
, he continued.
AFP was unable to contact the Mandela family for their opinion.
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