Video by Ian Landsberg/African News Agency (ANA)
Cape Town – The Reverend Allan Boesak says it is now up to the younger generation to lead by example as Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu has.
Boesak said that over the past few days he was approached by various media outlets to reflect on the legacy with the anti-apartheid activist.
One of the sentiments he never agreed with was the narrative that since Tutu's passing, there was no longer hope for the country to continue on its journey of healing.
"No, that is not true. Just before he died, I was privileged enough to meet with him and Mama Leah to talk about his 90th birthday.
“The two of us had a few moments together and we spoke about a number of things. He asked me, 'What do you see for us … for our country?’ And I said to him, ’I see what you see.' We spoke about the corruption and the anger of people, the lack of visionary leadership … and then I said to him, 'You know … more and more young people come to me and they want to know what it is that they can do,'" Boesak said.
He added that Tutu agreed that as long as there were young people who wished to make a difference, hope remained.
"He died with tragedy in his heart. We will not stop until we've raised a thousand more Tutu voices," Boesak said.
Former South African first lady Graça Machel said one of the lessons which the Arch taught her was that there was goodness in every individual.
Boesak and Machel paid tribute to the global icon at an intimate event in Cape Town on Thursday evening.
tarryn-eigh.solomons@inl.co.za
Political Bureau