Court Rules in Favor of Sale of Nelson Mandela Memorabilia

Sat Jan 24 2026 02:01:29 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

A South African court allows the sale of personal items belonging to Nelson Mandela, including his prison key and iconic floral shirt, after dismissing an appeal aimed at preventing their export.

In a significant ruling, the South African Supreme Court has authorized the sale of 70 personal items linked to Nelson Mandela, including his Robben Island prison key and signature floral shirt. The items, owned by his daughter Makaziwe Mandela and former Robben Island warden Christo Brand, were initially contested by the South African Heritage Resources Agency, which argued they were part of the country's heritage. However, the court found the agency's claims to be overly broad, paving the way for the auction planned in the US. Proceeds from the sale are intended to fund a memorial garden at Mandela's grave.

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 attempting to stop the sale, the authorities claimed they were part of the country's heritage and therefore protected from export.

The South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) first learned of the potential sale through a British newspaper article in late 2021, reporting that the key could fetch over £1m ($1.35m).

SAHRA subsequently reached out to the US auction house, Guernsey, asking it to suspend the auction and return the assets to South Africa.

Among other items in the auction are a copy of the 1996 South African Constitution signed by Mandela, one of his charcoal drawings, an ID card, a tennis racquet he used on Robben Island, and gifts from world leaders, including a notable one from former US President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle.

Mandela's daughter aims to utilize the proceeds from the sale to create a memorial garden at her father's grave in Qunu, Eastern Cape province.

The Supreme Court ruled that SAHRA's interpretation of applicable heritage items was too broad and that Mandela's daughter and Brand provided sufficient reasoning for why their assets did not qualify as heritage objects, while SAHRA failed to substantiate its claims.

It remains unclear whether authorities will pursue further legal challenges to inhibit the sale. Supporters of the government urge that items connected to Mandela should remain in South Africa to preserve their legacy, yet others contend that it should be the family's decision regarding their fate.

Nelson Mandela passed away in 2013 at the age of 95. He was a pivotal figure against apartheid, leading the African National Congress, and was released from prison in 1990. In 1993, he received the Nobel Peace Prize alongside then-President FW de Klerk, later becoming South Africa's first democratically elected president in 1994.