Video by Timothy Bernard
Johannesburg - Mourners on Wednesday came out in numbers to pay tribute to the late Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu in a special memorial service held at Anglican Parish of the Transfiguration in Eldorado Park, south of Johannesburg.
Bishop William Mostert who presided over the special occasion shared testimony as a former dean under Tutu.
“He was a deeply spiritual and Godly person. I’ve come to know him as a bishop in the 70s and in the 80s when he became the archbishop. I worked very closely with him when at provincial meetings in Bloemfontein and got to know him as a genuine person and up to today he is and remains that,” said Mostert.
He added: “There are some people who have called Tutu a sellout and other names people can agree to disagree. Yes, he’s been called many other names but I don’t think fit him because he was working for the benefit of all of God’s people for equality and his main thing was about justice for every person.”
Mostert read Tutu’s saying that said: “We are all one and we need to work with that unity.”
“That was what he was aiming for and it was his desire that was coming from deep down that he believed that all people are equal hence he spoke out against everyone who seeks to oppress the next person,” said Mostert.
He said people must continue to build the dream of a rainbow nation.
“Tutu worked for peace and justice. Let democracy become a full reality in South Africa; that would be Tutu’s dream.
Priest Patrick Dladla said Tutu was a wounded leader; people who are broken are the ones who go out and heal the people.
“He was a man who was not scared to speak his mind and truth. As difficult as it is to speak the truth if you want to create enemies speak the truth. Tutu was not scared whether people love him. He was not scared whether people would approve of what he was saying. He would challenge them and he will speak about things we would be scared to speak about. We have lost a gem and a great man,” said Dladla.
Pastor Keith Adams and an ACDP official said Tutu was not a person who excluded anyone based on what they are but included and embraced everyone.
“Tutu’s lifestyle was that irrespective of people’s religion they felt welcome in his presence. I pray that we could also become like that,” said Adams.
Apostle Deon Rezand, the deputy chair of local pastors fraternal, said Tutu was a great orchestrator as people are commemorating his life all over the world.
“He started by educating as he was an educator, then principal, then stepped out of the context of school and he said he is not going to teach the whole world. I know one profound thing… he taught the whole world that is peace. He was a man of peace. He did not want people to fight but wanted peace. He was also humble and he was firm,” said Rezand.
ntombi.nkosi@inl.co.za
Political Bureau