South Africa: Tears and flowers for Desmond Tutu, archbishop symbol of anti-apartheid struggle

On the way to the beaches or before the traditional barbecue, under the summer sun in Cape Town, many South Africans stop at St George’s Cathedral, the parish of former Archbishop Desmond Tutu, an emblematic figure of his who passed away today.

“He did so much for the fight against apartheid. For us blacks,” said Brent Goliath, 44, before bursting into tears.

Tutu, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984 and has been battling cancer in recent years, died at the age of 90.

The image of the petite priest in violet robes dancing next to the Dalai Lama or smiling broadly next to his friend Nelson Mandela dominates all television channels in the country.

Holding her granddaughter by the hand, 67-year-old Miriam Mokwadi went to Cape Town Cathedral. “It is true, Tutu was a hero. He fought for us. We are free thanks to him. Without him, our country would be lost,” he said.

The news of the death of the archbishop, who had been identified with the “conscience” of South Africa, fell like lightning before the morning service. Very quickly, the police cordoned off the neighborhood. A book of condolences was placed outside the cathedral, for the first messages to “Arts”, as his compatriots affectionately called him.

“I am just saddened that this happened. His family will certainly be relieved that Father Desmond has suffered so much in recent weeks,” said Rev. Michael Winter.

A black and white photo, with Tutou smiling, was placed on the railing. From below, believers and passers-by began to leave bouquets of flowers.

“I was born at the end of apartheid but my whole family was talking about Tutu and we were learning about him in high school history,” said Amanda Xalabile, 30, who stopped for a while at the temple with her two children. road to the park.

No official ceremony is scheduled for today. But the famous Mount Temple, the hill that dominates the city, will be lit in violet from 8 pm, until the funeral, the date of which has not yet been announced.

Tutu’s relatives, supporting each other, gathered at his home in Cape Town, where police had taken action. Behind the security tape, a woman dressed in shorts and a light t-shirt held out a bouquet of flowers: “For the family,” she told police.

At Desmond Tutu’s other Soviet home, the curtains are closed. Outside the house, a few dozen meters from the Nelson Mandela Museum, many young people were taking pictures and selfies. “We used to see him when he jogged in the morning (…) we neighbors are really excited,” said Lerato, an elderly man on Vilakazi Street.

Desmond Tutu became known worldwide for his struggle during the difficult years of apartheid. He organized peaceful demonstrations against secession and advocated for international sanctions on the Pretoria regime. For Steven Moreau, the Anglican Archbishop of Johannesburg, “his legacy is his love for all (…) he always said that God is not the God of Christians but of the whole world.”

Source: AMPE