Prized Championship Boxing Belt Gifted to Nelson Mandela Stolen From Former President’s Soweto Home

• American boxer Sugar Ray Leonard's boxing belt that he gifted to former President Nelson Mandela was stolen
• The world championship belt worth R50 000 was stolen from the the Mandela House in Vilakazi Street, Soweto
• Police Spokesperson Col Dimakatso Sello said that a case of theft was opened on 2 July and is still under investigation

SOWETO - A R50 000 world championship boxing belt that was displayed at former President Nelson Mandela’s house was stolen. The belt was a gift from legendary American boxer Sugar Ray Leonard.

The irreplaceable gift was stolen from the Mandela House in Vilakazi Street in Orlando West, Soweto. Police Spokesperson Col Dimakatso Sello told TimesLIVE that a case of theft was opened on Saturday, 2 July. The theft is still under investigation, and police are yet to make an arrest.

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A source close to the house told eNCA that staff members noticed that locks were seemingly tampered with. Anyone who may have information about this incident is requested to contact the police on the crime stop hotline at 08600-10111 or on the MySaps app.

South Africans are appalled by the theft of Nelson Mandela’s prized possession:

@paul_hammerton5 said:

“Inside job, no surprise here.”

@SACountryweLOVE wrote:

“Nothing is safe in SA due to a lawless corrupt government that does not set an example of lawfulness.”

@PSchlebusch commented:

“They’ll steal the sugar from your coffee if they could. How I HATE this country more and more each day.”

@Magagasssssssss posted:

“It should have been kept in a proper museum or any other safe place than in Soweto house. Family suspected.”

@Wrath_of_Mikey stated:

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“Nothing is safe.”

@PresElect2029 added:

“Hey people are really hungry out there, stealing even from the Madiba’s house.”

Nelson Mandela photo worth R2.1 billion: Photographer suing government for unlawful use

In a related matter, Briefly News also reported photographer Shaun Harris is reportedly suing government’s communication agency – Government Communication Information System (GCIS) – for R2.1 billion over a photograph of former president Nelson Mandela.

Harris took the photo when Mandela met then UK prime minister Tony Blair in January 1999. According to reports, Harris claimed his image of the late world icon was criminally used. It was allegedly used without the correct copyright clearance from his former agents PictureNet.

Source: Briefly News