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The controversial auction of a night in the famous cell of former South African president Nelson Mandela turned on Thursday at the pugilist between the guardian of the place, the museum of Robben Island, and the foundation at its origin
The CEO SleepOut movement justified the operation by explaining that the funds raised would be used to finance an inmate education program.
Put at a price of $ 250,000, the small square of Cold concrete, where the icon of the anti-apartheid struggle has languished for most of its twenty-seven years of incarceration, has already sparked bids of up to $ 300,000, according to the foundation.
But Thursday , the Robben Island Museum said Thursday that, whatever the price paid by the lucky winner, he was categorically excluded to open the grid of the famous jail.
"We strongly condemn this auction" . We are particularly saddened that Nelson Mandela's legacy is being exploited, "Morongoa Ramaboa, a spokesman for the museum, told AFP.
" As a UNESCO World Heritage site, we would have never even considered auctioning the + Madiba + cell. The preservation of our historical heritage is not negotiable, "he added.
CEO SleepOut, who wanted to celebrate by his initiative the 100th anniversary of the first black president of South Africa (1994-1999) on July 18, decided on Thursday to "postpone it until later in the year."
His leadership issued in a statement his "sincere apology to anyone who may have been offended."
But she also accused the Robben Island museum of double play. "CEO SleepOut discusses his initiative with Robben Island since the beginning of 2017," said the foundation, adding that "the auction of cell number 7 was accepted" last March by the management of the museum.
"The funds raised by the auction should directly benefit South African prisoners and help their reintegration into society," she regretted, "Nelson Mandela was a perfect example of importance of education in prison. [19659003] The Nelson Mandela Foundation has told AFP that it is totally foreign to this initiative
CEO Sleepout has made a name for itself by selling the richest patrons offering the most unusual nights to fund charity for the benefit of the poorest.
He claims to have raised nearly 53 million rand (about 3.5 million euros) for three years to finance programs to help the homeless.
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