South Africa, however, has demanded a halt to the auction of the key to the prison cell on Robben Island once occupied by the late Mandela.

If bidders have their way, though, they will be able to buy the key in January in New York. The sale is by Guernsey's auction house.

The seller is Christo Brand, Mandela's former prison guard in the otherwise soul crushing jail.

Prison Cell Pulse Live Uganda

Nathi Mthethwa, South Africa's culture minister, said there has been no consultation with the government and so the key cannot simply be sold.

"This key belongs to the people of South Africa," he said. "It is not anyone's personal belonging," the minister added.

Guernsey's says its planned auction on 28 January is to raise funds for a memorial garden and museum around Mandela's burial site.

The prison cell key is one of several items put up for sale. Other highlights include Mandela's original painting The Lighthouse, Robben Island, as well as the exercise bicycle he was allowed to use and prison tennis racquet.

This is not the first time that people have tried to cash in on Mandela’s legacy.

In 2018, there was a plan to auction a night in Nelson Mandela's prison cell.

The "sleepover" attracted supposed bids of up to $300,000 (256,000 euros).

Mandela, once known as the Black Pimpernel, spent 18 out to 27 years of his time in prison on Robben Island.

The man selling the key to his prison cell, Mr Brand, later became a close friend of Mandela.

“Robben” is the Dutch word for “seal”, which is ironic in view of this auction not having the South African government’s seal of approval.

Mandela was released from prison in 1990 as South Africa did away with racial segregation (apartheid).

He then took part in the first multi-racial elections in 1994 and was elected the country's first black president. Mandela served a single term, stepping down in 1999.

He died in 2013, aged 95.