Charlize admits Mandela blunder

2009-10-31 10:30

Johannesburg - The Oscar-winning South African-born actress Charlize Theron has admitted to auctioning off a meeting with Nelson Mandela without getting his permission, the Saturday Star reported on Saturday.

Theron's publicist, Amanda Silverman, was quoted as saying: "In an effort to raise money at a charity auction, and with the excitement of the night, Theron added a meeting with Nelson Mandela to a South African travel package without checking in advance with the former president's office".

Unfortunately, it turned out that the meeting with Mandela was not possible, added Silverman.

"The very generous donor, who successfully bid on the package, is aware and everyone is thrilled with the success of the (charity auction) evening," Silverman said.

International media reported earlier this week that Theron at a charity event auctioned off a meeting with Mandela in South Africa next year alongside a 2010 Soccer World Cup trip.

She managed to get only R280 000, prompting her to up the stakes and offer the lucky bidder a kiss.

A woman, with a winning bid of more than R1 million, secured the kiss - and the "meeting with Mandela", which both Silverman and the Nelson Mandela Foundation said was not possible.

The foundation's chief executive, Achmat Dangor, reacted to the reports on Wednesday by saying a very strict process needed to be followed to get a meeting with Mandela.

"Not even the charity foundations Mandela himself established are allowed to auction off time with him," Dangor told Beeld.

- SAPA