When Nelson Mandela was fighting against apartheid, he was accused of attempting to overthrow the government and was sent to jail on Robben Island as part of his 27-year jail term.
He stayed in a room so small and bare, with just a lidded metal bucket for a toilet and a narrow bed beside which a small table was placed. He was also exposed to hard labour and was not allowed to sing or read.
This small room is now up for bidding under the CEO Sleepout program, a charity initiative where CEOs pay millions of money to sleep in different places as a way of creating awareness about and donating money to homeless people.
The South Africa edition of the CEO Sleepout is focusing on Mandela’s centennial and is conducting sleepouts in various locations connected to the anti-apartheid icon, one of which is the Robben Island cell.
However, not so many people are impressed with the move. They state that it is disgusting and a thoughtless move considering the trouble that Mandela underwent.
Wow "stay in Mandelas cell"!? ngathi when Mandela was there he was living his best life, ag this is actually disgusting , they really didnt think this through
