Pay NOK 2.4 million to sleep in Mandela’s prison cell

In this June 30, 2013, file photo, the prison is seen on Robben Island, South Africa, where former South African president Nelson Mandela spent 18 years of his 27-year prison term locked up by the former apartheid government. The centennial of Mandela's birth is July 18, and those wishing to make a pilgrimage to honor his legacy will find a number of sites around South Africa, from the villages of his childhood to museums and historic sites about apartheid. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)

One night in the scruffy cell where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 18 years was auctioned for at least NOK 2.4 million for charitable purposes.

 

The bid round initially started at U.S. $250,000, but eleven days before the auction closes, there have been a lot of bids on the accommodation experience.

The highest is $300,000, or just over NOK 2.4 million.

South Africa’s first democratically elected president was imprisoned for 27 years before being released.18 of them were spent on Robben Island outside Cape Town, in a 2.4 meter long and 2.1 meter wide cell.

Also, 66 other prison cell stays were auctioned away.The entire prison is now converted into a museum, and placed on UNESCO’s world heritage site list.

The revenues from Mandela’s prison cell will go to an organization that works for inmates’ opportunities for education.

The auction closes on July 16, two days before Mandela would have reached 100 years old.

 

© NTB scanpix / #Norway Today