Cape Town - Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu and his wife Leah have cast their special votes for the local government elections.
Two officials of the Electoral Commission of South Africa visited the couple at their Milnerton home on Saturday.
After a 15-minute meeting behind closed doors, Tutu and Leah stepped out to greet the media who were stationed outside their home.
The Archbishop, who turned 90 last month, shared a gentle few waves with a smile, but no further interaction.
Leah briefly engaged with journalists when she said: "Have you voted… because I have."
Video: Tarryn-Leigh Solomons/ IOL Politics
The brief interaction was followed by IEC official Welcome Tengwana telling the media that the Tutus were in high spirits when casting their votes.
"The process went well. They were happy they voted," he said.
In a statement, acting chairperson of the Archbishop Tutu IP Trust, Dr Mamphela Ramphele, who coordinates the Archbishop’s Office, said the Arch and Mrs Tutu wouldn’t allow their relative frailty to get in the way of exercising their right to vote.
“They are of a generation that felt the full impact of apartheid, and were denied the right to vote for most of their lives.
“They were too close to the struggle, and the Arch presided at too many funerals of struggle martyrs, to ever take this right for granted. They are acutely aware of the preciousness of being able to have a say in who should lead our government,” Ramphele said.
She said Tutu was fond of the old maxim (of disputed origin) that, in a democracy, people get the government (or leaders) they deserve.
“If you don’t participate in elections, you can’t expect complaining afterwards to fix much,” Ramphele said.
Tarryn-Leigh.solomons@inl.co.za
POLITICAL BUREAU