Court Ruling Allows Sale of Nelson Mandela's Personal Artefacts

Thu Jan 29 2026 22:53:17 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Mandela's daughter secures legal clearance to auction iconic items including his prison key and signature shirt.

A South African court has ruled in favor of Makaziwe Mandela, allowing the sale and export of personal items belonging to her father, Nelson Mandela. The collection includes a key from Robben Island, sunglasses, and a floral shirt. This decision has sparked debates about the cultural heritage of these items and their place in South Africa's history.

A South African court has dismissed an appeal by the country's heritage body to stop the sale and export of various artefacts connected to anti-apartheid hero Nelson Mandela.

The 70 personal items include a cell key from Robben Island, where Mandela was imprisoned for 18 of the 27 years he was locked up, a pair of Aviator sunglasses, and one of his signature floral shirts. They were due to be exported to the US for auction.

The objects belong to his eldest daughter, Makaziwe Mandela, and Christo Brand, a Robben Island warden during Mandela's incarceration.

In an attempt to stop their sale, authorities argued that these items are part of the country's heritage and thus legally protected from export.

The South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) first learned about the potential sale from a British newspaper article in late 2021, indicating the key might sell for more than £1m ($1.35m).

SAHRA contacted the US auction house, Guernsey, that was planning the sale to suspend the auction and return the items to South Africa.

Other items in the collection include a copy of the 1996 South African Constitution signed by Mandela, one of his charcoal drawings, identification cards, a tennis racquet he used on Robben Island, and gifts from world leaders including former US President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle.

Makaziwe intends to use the proceeds from the sale to develop a memorial garden at her father's grave in Qunu, located in Mthatha, Eastern Cape province.

In its ruling, the Supreme Court of Appeal noted that SAHRA's interpretation of what constitutes heritage items was too broad, and that Makaziwe and Brand provided detailed explanations on why their assets were not heritage objects, unlike SAHRA’s unsupported claims.

It remains unclear if authorities will pursue other legal avenues to block the sale. Some supporters argue that Mandela-related items should be preserved in South Africa for future generations, while others contend that the family should determine the fate of these objects.

Mandela passed away in 2013 at the age of 95. He played a crucial role in the fight against apartheid, leading the African National Congress, and was released from prison in 1990. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 alongside then-President FW de Klerk and became South Africa's first democratically elected president in 1994.