As former president Nelson Mandela’s family fight to stop the sale of some of his most prized possessions from his home in Houghton, the trust responsible for protecting his artefacts has allegedly not wanted to become involved
As former president Nelson Mandela’s family fight to stop the sale of some of his most prized possessions from his home in Houghton, the trust responsible for protecting his artefacts has allegedly not wanted to become involved.
The saga includes soaring municipal bills, emails begging for help from the family trust, a case of theft opened against Mandela’s daughter, Makaziwe, and a last-minute scramble to stop the auction in New York of Madiba’s prized possessions from his personal home.
“The very same people Mandela trusted, are the people [who] have tried to take from Mandela, used Mandela and benefit[ed] from Mandela to the detriment [of] his own family,” alleges Ndaba Mandela, a grandson of the late Madiba.
Disputes within the Mandela family have resurfaced after the complete cancellation of an auction that could have seen treasured memorabilia belonging to the late Madiba sold off at Guernsey’s, in New York in the US.
Pressure from various of Mandela’s family members, including his daughter, Princess Zenani Mandela-Dlamini, compelled the auction house to cancel its sale. Mandela’s iconic “Madiba” shirt, a bronze cast of his fist, personal paintings, the key to his Robben Island prison cell and a signed copy of South Africa’s 1996 constitution are some of the more than 70 items that would have been for sale.
But according to Ndaba, the auction is only part of a larger scheme that wants to see Madiba’s Houghton house in Johannesburg sold and its occupants gone.
Mandela family home
After Mandela’s burial in 2013, a furore over his will ensued. However, the former statesman was clear that the Houghton house would continue to be a family home.
“As I have during my lifetime provided accommodation for all my other children, but not for my son Makgatho Lewanika Mandela, I bequeath my shares in and claims against Iterele Investment and the movable assets of my estate in or on the Houghton property to the NRM [Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela] Family Trust,” the will reads.
Mandela wished that Mandla and his siblings including Ndaba, Mbuso and Andile would live in the house and for the trustees of the NRM Family Trust to decide what the house should be used for after that.
However, speaking to the Mail & Guardian, Ndaba claims executive trustees failed to protect the heritage and the will of Madiba when they did not take action when he raised issues of mismanagement of the late president’s 12th Avenue Houghton home on numerous occasions since 2016.
The house is the responsibility of Mandela’s company, Iterele Investments. Former deputy chief justice Dikgang Moseneke serves on its executive. Municipal costs and maintenance of the house are covered by the NRM Family Trust, on which advocate Wim Trengove serves as a trustee, as did the late George Bizos.
However, emails, seen by the M&G, sent to Moseneke, Trengove and Bizos in 2016 show Ndaba claiming outstanding municipal bills of R161 141. Ndaba said he settled about 30%, more than R48 000, to have the water and lights switched back on at Madiba’s Houghton house. According to Ndaba, he has spent more than R600 000 on Madiba’s Houghton house since the former president passed away in 2013.
Ndaba claims the reasons for the trustees to not cover municipal costs were that the house was taking up “quite a chunk of money” from the trust and that it is “unfair” that such a large amount of money be spent on a house that only three people benefit from, “even if that was my grandfather’s wishes”. It was Madiba’s wish for the house to be a family home for his grandchildren.
Family feud
However, nevermind the dark and waterless Houghton house — the siblings were about to go to war with each other. On 13 March last year, Ndaba and his brother Andile, opened a case against Madiba’s first daughter, Makaziwe Mandela, after alleged theft from Madiba’s house.
In a signed affidavit, Andile explains how Makasiwe, together with her daughter, Tukwini Mandela, contracted a company “to assist her take the furniture without the owner’s permission or approval to do so”.
The affidavit continues, saying the Houghton estate “is currently empty as Makaziwe Mandela stole all the furniture for, possibly, her own home in Hyde Park and is keeping the rest of the furniture in an undisclosed location”.
When contacted by the M&G, Makaziwe said she would not speak to any media.
In addition to the charge against Makaziwe, Ndaba brought the matter before Moseneke and Michael Katz, an executor of the Mandela estate, which includes the Houghton house.
House put up for sale
Instead of assisting in the matter, Mandela’s family members received a letter from among others, Katz, titled “The Executors of the Estate of the Late Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela”. The letter, dated 19 August 2021, contains details of putting the Houghton house on sale.
“The executors understand that some of the addressees have expressed an interest in acquiring the house of the late former President Nelson Mandela situated at 9 12th Avenue, Houghton Estate. The executors are willing to afford an opportunity to the addressees who are interested in acquiring the Houghton home to submit an offer,” reads the letter.
Ndaba says he bid R10-million on the house, while being aware he was bidding on the house given to them by his grandfather.
The letter adds “the executors are obliged to consider all offers, and while the executors will no doubt prioritise offers made by the family members and the respective trusts, they can only agree to an offer which serves in the best interests of the estate after taking into account all relevant circumstances”.
When contacted by the M&G, Katz said he acts only as a legal advisor to the family and that he is “not able to answer”, because it “would not be ethical or proper”.
Advocate Wim Trengrove passed the buck to Moseneke, who had not responded to questions by the time of publication.
Stopping the auction
Nine months passed since Makaziwe removed items from Madiba’s house. Then, in December, some of the same items were advertised to be auctioned at Guernsey’s.
According to Guernsey’s, proceeds from the auction would go towards building a memorial garden. Ndaba claims that although the family was aware of the garden, Makaziwe never asked permission to sell the items.
Ndaba, collaborating with at least eight other family members, wrote a letter to Guernsey’s asking that the items should not be sold, because “his family members assert [some of the items] were stolen or taken without requisite permission from his former residence”.
Since October last year, the Mandela family has been in constant communication with Guernsey’s to try to stop the auction. They succeeded in completely halting the auction after Princess Zenani put her weight behind the matter and got arts and culture minister Nathi Mthethwa and the government on board to bring back Madiba’s items.
Nicholas Wolpe, chief of staff for Princess Zenani, told the M&G that, through action taken by the family, the auction did not take place. Wolpe did not comment on questions about whether action will be taken against the people who put the items up for auction. Instead, he said we “must not lose focus”, emphasising the importance of “protecting our national heritage”.
Ndaba says the family is in touch with Guernsey’s to return the items to them, not Makaziwe. Guernsey’s are yet to respond to this request.
“I believe this is not just a family issue: this is a South African issue. Mandela is our father [and the father of] the whole nation. We are all stakeholders as South Africans. It is important that these things be returned to its rightful owners, the family, and the people of South Africa,” Ndaba said.
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