South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday visited the home of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who breathed his last on Sunday, December 26, reported Africa News.
The 90-year-old Tutu was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984 for his role in the struggle to abolish the apartheid system. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer in the late 1990s and was hospitalized several times in recent years. He died in the early hours of Sunday morning at the Oasis Frail Care Center in Cape Town.
Ramaphosa paid tribute to the late Archbishop saying that South Africa was enormously diminished by Tutu‘s death who along with Nelson Mandela was described as an outstanding leader.
“A lot of great things can be said about him. His global status, the love that he was and is being showered with from across the various countries in the world just speaks volumes of what he stood for and what people see… saw in him as a great leader,” Ramaphosa said.
The South African president announced that there will be a period of national mourning during which the national flag will fly at half-mast at all flag stations in honor of Archbishop Tutu. He added that this would be observed from the time of the formal declaration of the funeral until the night before the service.
The South African government has planned a seven-day mourning period in Cape Town before Tutu’s burial. The period includes a two-day lying in state, an ecumenical service, and an Anglican requiem mass at St. George’s Cathedral in Cape Town.
Some other high-ranking ANC members also gathered at the Tutu’s home since his demise to pay their last respect to the hero.
Many of the world’s renowned personalities including Queen Elizabeth II, Pope Francis, US President Joe Biden, and former US president Barack Obama have all paid their last respect toTutu, who is survived by his wife Leah Tutu and four children.
