In the statement made by Colonel Dimakatso Sello, spokesperson of the Gauteng State Police, it was stated that the belt that legendary boxer Leonard gave to Mandela was stolen from the museum house in the Soweto district of Johannesburg at the beginning of July. Sello said that an investigation has been launched into the incident.
IT WAS EXHIBITED IN THE MUSEUM HOUSE
Black boxer Ray Leonard gifted Nelson Mandela the world boxing championship belt during a visit to the Republic of South Africa. For many years, the belt was on display at Nelson Mandela’s museum house on the famous Vilekazi street in Soweto.
Mandela, who spent 27 years of his life in prisons in the fight against the white apartheid regime that ruled South Africa between 1948-1994, was elected the first black president of the country in 1994 after he was released from prison.
Mandela, who is also South Africa’s symbol of freedom and ruled the country from 1994-1999, died in 2013 at the age of 95. (AA)