The original arrest warrant, which remains preserved at the museum in Rivonia, was minted into an NFT and sold for an estimated R1.9 million at auction by South Africa digital marketplace, Momint.
The platform allows users to auction, sell, trade and display NFTs.
Momint CEO Ahren Posthumus said not only was an auction of this manner a first for the country, it also signified an incredibly momentous occasion for the country and continent as a whole.
“It shows the world that we are not standing idle, we are innovating at a rapid pace, and it [also] shows that there is immense value in our heritage and our history.”
Liliesleaf Museum, much like many tourist-dependent establishments across the world, faces dire financial constraints as a result of Covid-19.
As previously reported in Save this national heritage site [published online on April 21, 2022], the museum sent out various appeals to the community for donations to help keep its doors open.
The heritage site served as the secret headquarters for the ANC, SACP, Umkhonto we Sizwe and Congress Alliance during apartheid. The arrest warrant was originally donated to the museum as the site played a key role in Nelson Mandela evading arrest.
Historical organisation South African History Online reported that Mandela used Liliesleaf as a hideout after the arrest warrant was issued.
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