S.Africa losing cultural landmarks like Apartheid Museum to COVID

JOHANNESBURG:  A pair of boxing gloves worn by Nelson Mandela at the height of the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa lie under a thick layer of dust in a darkened room, the silence broken only by the thud of moths nose-diving onto the glass display case.

The gloves were once one of the most popular exhibits at the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg, one of dozens of heritage attractions and art galleries around the country forced to close their doors due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. "We had to let go of all of the staff. About 30 people. There's no one here to turn the lights on and off," said the museum's director, Christopher Till.