The Nelson Mandela Foundation has accused actress Charlize Theron of selling a meeting with the former leader without permission.

Oscar-winning Theron, 34, raised £85,500 for charity last week by auctioning the chance to visit her native South Africa and meet the elderly former president.

The sale hit the headlines when the actress agreed to kiss the highest bidder during a charity gala event in San Francisco.

But today a spokesman for the frail former freedom fighter said the meeting might not be possible because Theron had not sought permission from Mr Mandela before arranging the auction.

Achmat Dangor, chief executive of the Nelson Mandela Foundation, said: ‘There is a very rigorous process that is followed to secure a meeting with Mr Mandela, and as yet, we have not have had any such request from Charlize Theron.’

Mandela’s spokesman says no request was made to secure a meeting with him.The winning bidder at the OneXOne auction may now be told she cannot meet Mr Mandela.

Officials said the Foundation would consider any future request received from Theron, but that nothing was certain.

Mr Mandela, who turned 91 in July, has now fully retired from public life and only grants personal audiences to a tiny proportion of those who request them.

His spokesman said he did not usually agree to be offered in charity auctions.

Mr Dangor added: ‘It should also be noted that even the charities that he created have never auctioned off time with Mr Mandela.

‘We nevertheless wish Ms Theron well in her charity work.’

Theron is South Africa’s most famous Hollywood actress.

She was born on a farm near the town of Benoni in South Africa’s Gauteng province and hit fame in the 1990s with a string of roles in films including The Cider House Rules and The Devil’s Advocate.

In 2004 she received a heroine’s welcome from Mr Mandela when she returned to South Africa after winning a ‘Best Actress’ Oscar for her role in the film Monster.

Source: Daily Mail