NOTIFICATION OF INTENTION
TO DECLARE GIFTS BESTOWED TO NELSON MANDELA
NOTIFICATION OF PROPOSED DECLARATION OF THE COLLECTION OF GIFTS BESTOWED ON NELSON MANDELA AS A SPECIFICALLY DECLARED HERITAGE COLLECTION (Section 32 of the National Heritage Resources Act no 25 of 1999)
The collection comprises approximately 3,900 verified objects, including beadwork, textiles, sculptures, portraits, medals, orders, paintings, brass artefacts, leather and gold items, handcrafted postcards, newspaper articles and children’s drawings. Together, these objects reflect the breadth of Mandela’s influence across cultures, nations and generations. Diplomatic gifts from heads of state sit alongside handmade cards from children; ceremonial objects coexist with everyday items that speak to Mandela’s humanity, humility and connection to ordinary people.
This collection is more than an assemblage of gifted objects. It is a material record of South Africa’s re-entry into the global community, of international solidarity with the anti-apartheid struggle, and of the symbolic role Mandela came to occupy as a moral leader in the world. The gifts transcend language, race and borders, bearing witness to a moment in history when South Africa’s democratic transition carried global significance.
The collection continues to serve an educational and social purpose, supporting learning, research and public engagement with South Africa’s history.
For more information download the Public Notice below.
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Print ready Public Notice Poster for Comment - Intention to declare gifts bestowed to Nelson Mandela
Background and Significance Statement
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The South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) intends to declare the collection of gifts bestowed on Nelson Mandela and are in the custodianship of the Nelson Mandela Museum.
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