National Furore over CEO SleepOut’s Robben Island Mandela cell auction BL PREMIUM

The CEO SleepOut appears to have backtracked on plans to allow a wealthy funder to spend a night in former President Nelson Mandela’s prison cell on Robben Island — an experience that would have cost a minimum of $250‚000‚ or about R3.4m. Details of the "Robben Island — Room Bid" were no longer displayed on the organisation’s website on Wednesday night, and its CEO, Liane Mcgowan, said in a radio interview that the event had been postponed. The website described the event as a "once in a life opportunity to sleep in Mandela’s personal Cell Number 7" but by Wednesday night that page had removed. But the cover image on the CEO SleepOut Facebook page — @TheSleepOutMovement — at 9.15pm on Wednesday still advertised the "Nelson Mandela Legacy SleepOut — Robben Island Edition" to take place on July 18. Robben Island Museum lashed out at the idea. Spokesperson Morongoa Ramaboa said the museum was shocked to find out about the auction on the internet. "It’s completely impossible," she said....