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 tying to stop their sale, the authorities said they were part of the country's heritage and were therefore legally protected from export.
The South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) first found out about the potential sale in a British newspaper article from late 2021, claiming that the key would go for more than £1m ($1.35m).
