The South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) says it will continue to challenge the upcoming auction of former president Nelson Mandela's personal items.

Auction house Guernsey's has advertised the auction for Monday, after the end of a legal battle cleared the way for the late statesman's belongings and artworks to be sold.

The SAHRA had sought an interdict to prevent Madiba's eldest daughter, Makaziwe Mandela, from selling his belongings. However, the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria dismissed the agency's application.

SAHRA spokesperson Yazeed Sadien said some of the items on auction were still "the subject of ongoing legal proceedings".

"Out of concern regarding the potential impact of the judgment on the preservation of heritage objects in South Africa, SAHRA, together with the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, and the Robben Island Museum, lodged an application for leave to appeal the judgment on 28 December 2023. The application is pending before the high court," the SAHRA said.

Sadien added that, in 2022, a similar auction was suspended at the request of the SAHRA due to the ongoing legal proceedings.

"This situation raises significant concerns for SAHRA, the department and the museum, and requires careful consideration due to the historical and cultural importance of the items at risk of sale. SAHRA, the department and the museum are urgently assessing the lawfulness and implications of the impending auction and considering all available remedies," Sadien said.

Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Zizi Kodwa has voiced his support for the heritage agency.

"Former president Nelson Mandela is integral to South Africa's heritage. His life, experiences and legacy live in our consciousness and in the values we promote as a country," he said.

"It is thus important that we preserve the legacy of former president Mandela and ensure that his life's work and experiences remain in the country for generations to come." 

Kodwa added that it is "critical to support the intervention" by the SAHRA as a way to maintain "the country's rich heritage". 

Nearly 100 items linked to the former statesman are set to be auctioned on Monday, including two collections of drawings of Robben Island, where he was held for 18 of the 27 years he spent in jail. 

The collections, which were marred by controversy when allegations of forgery surfaced in 2005, are expected to raise more than R1-million.

The first of the two collections going under the hammer is Reflections of Robben Island, which includes five lithographs printed in colour and a sheet of text written by Mandela printed in black.

The second collection includes five lithographs, printed in colour on woven paper, each signed in pencil by Madiba, as well as five printed sheets, each reproducing Madiba's written text, and five printed illustrations created in collaboration between Madiba and American artist Grant Warren.

Both collections include a certificate of authenticity from Makaziwe and the House of Mandela, which values the first collection at $38 500 (R720 000). While the second collection is not listed, art experts estimate it to fetch about the same at auction.

News24 had been unable to reach both Makaziwe and the House of Mandela for comment at the time of publication.

Forgery and controversy

Two decades ago, Madiba launched a project to raise money for charity by selling sketches of Robben Island. The collection went on show in London in 2002.

Among the collection are lithographs of the views of Table Mountain through prison cells, the lighthouse on Robben Island, fences and guard towers, and a view of the harbour.

A series of prints were made of each of the five drawings, with proceeds from the sale of each intended for charities, including the Nelson Mandela's Children Fund and the Nelson Mandela Foundation.

However, the prints soon became controversial following claims that forgeries had entered the market. The claims of fraud centred on Madiba's signature, which some said had been mechanically reproduced.

The lithographs became the source of a legal battle in 2005, when Madiba's lawyer George Bizos brought action against his former attorney Ismail Ayob and his business associate, Ross Calder.

Calder owned Unity Publishing International, a company created to handle and market Madiba's art and raise money for the Nelson Mandela Trust.

At the time, Madiba said he had decided to collaborate with an artist to produce limited-edition paintings, which he signed. However, Bizose claimed that Calder and Ayob had "mechanically and photographically reproduced innumerable copies".

The authenticity of the Mandela lithographs can reportedly be established with relative ease and feature a prominent embossed stamp of two joined hands and a watermark that can be seen when the artwork is held up to the light, Mail & Guardian reported.

Melrose Gallery director Craig Mark said the House of Mandela, through Makaziwe, had taken over the project.

Mark said he had never seen any evidence that the artworks were fraudulent, adding that it was extremely difficult to present fake items to the market.

"Nelson Mandela launched the pieces himself and invited people to buy them to raise funds. The controversy came in when some said the pieces were not authentic. I have yet to see evidence of any work that is not authentic," he said.

He added that the controversy around the project had ruined their reputation on the market.

"I think that is something that can rectify itself because there are no proven fakes on the market. Artwork drawn by Nelson Mandela is something that people in time would want to own," Mark said.

Private art trader André Blignault, who owns some of Madiba's artwork in his personal capacity, described the works on auction as "wonderful pieces that are very valuable to collectors".

He said there was no question that the artwork was authentic, especially if it came from Makaziwe's private collection.

"Makaziwe was involved in the project from the beginning. She's legit. She's certainly not going to present fake artwork to the market," he added.

Blignault believes that much of the controversy around the project was due to "personal politics" and said that thousands of signatures had been authenticated.

"No two signatures were the same, which shows they were not mechanically reproduced," he said.

"The project was severely damaged by the controversy."

Blignault said he was unsure of the worth of the items but estimated that each collection could sell for around half a million rands.

"They are magnificent because Madiba made them. They provide a lasting picture of our beautiful country's turbulent history," he said.

Also on auction is what the Guernsey's catalogue describes as Madiba's "personal and only legitimate identification book in post-apartheid South Africa", which was issued in February 1993, about three years after his release from prison. Madiba received a smart ID card in 2015.

Other items for sale, according to Guernsey's, include a Madiba shirt, gifts from other statesmen and institutions, his eyeglasses, his walking stick, his Bible, a tea set, a bronze cast of his fist, and hearing aids.

The sale of the items will reportedly fund the creation of the Mandela Memorial Garden around Madiba's grave in Qunu, Eastern Cape.