No consent' for Mandela auction

Hollywood actress Charlize Theron did not have the consent of South Africa's Nelson Mandela to auction off a meeting with him, his office says.

She reportedly sold a trip to the 2010 World Cup, a meeting with the anti-apartheid icon, and a kiss from her for $140,000 (£85,000) at a charity event.

But the Nelson Mandela Foundation told the BBC it has yet to receive a request from the South African-born actress.

A meeting with Mr Mandela required "a rigorous process", the foundation said.

"Not even the charity foundations Mandela himself established are allowed to auction off time with him," the NMF's chief executive Achmat Dangor Dangor said in a statement.

Kisses

The 34-year-old Oscar-winning star is reported to have taken part in the live auction during a fundraiser for charity in San Francisco on 22 October.

She was initially selling a trip to South Africa, which included World Cup tickets as well as a safari and a meet-and-greet with the 91-year-old former South African president.

Ms Theron upped the stakes when bidding stopped at $37,000 by adding the offer of a seven-second kiss to the highest bidder.

This raised the bids to $130,000 - then a woman offered $140,000 to make it a 20-second kiss from the actress.

Ms Theron agreed, sealing the bid by kissing her in front of the gathered audience.