Constitutions Culture and Communities in Africa

  LITIGATION FOR THE RETURN OF NELSON MANDELA’S OBJECTS ES Nwauche (Prof) In this season of the return of stolen or illegally acquired African artifacts, it is gratifying to note the recent unsuccessful litigation by the South African National Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) for the return of the objects owned by late Nelson Mandela that were slated for auction by Guernsey’s Auction House in New York because the artifacts are national treasures that require permits to leave South Africa. As alleged, the Mandela Family commissioned the sale but had not obtained the required permits. In a related incident, the South African Minister of Arts and Culture protested the sale in December 2021 of the Key to Mandela's prison cell on Robben Island, which led to the Auction House postponing the sale of the Key. The intervention of SAHRA in both cases lead to the cancellation of the sale of the Key and the other objects owned by Nelson Mandela scheduled for January 2022. In May 2022, SAH...