Desmond Tutu - The Last Ethical Authority of South Africa

Anyone deeply engaged with South Africa cannot overlook the name Desmond Tutu. He coined the term Rainbow Nation and approached even the toughest challenges with humor and vibrancy. Tutu firmly believes in the healing power of humor.

Who is Desmond Tutu?

Born on October 7, 1931, in Klerksdorp, Desmond Mpilo Tutu was the son of a domestic worker and a teacher. He aspired to become a doctor, but that dream was unattainable due to financial constraints. Instead, he became a teacher in Pretoria in 1954, where he met his future wife, and they had four children together. In 1958, he embarked on his theological training in Johannesburg, earning his theology license in 1960 and being ordained as a priest in 1961. Tutu lived with his family in London from 1962 to 1966, where he completed his Master's in Theology. His ecclesiastical career advanced steadily, leading him to become the first black Anglican Dean of Johannesburg in 1975, and later the Bishop of Lesotho in 1976, and Archbishop of Cape Town in 1986.

Tutu during Apartheid

Desmond Tutu was always politically engaged, becoming one of the most recognizable faces against the Apartheid regime. He famously stated, “A Christian should be politically active, though not politically partisan.” Together with Nelson Mandela, he resolutely opposed racism and injustice. While Mandela spent 30 years imprisoned, Tutu utilized his voice to advocate for justice. For his tireless efforts, he received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984.

“Of course, we demand fundamental change. If that is revolutionary, then I am a revolutionary. Even Jesus advocated goodness, justice, and forgiveness.” He became a thorn in the side of the white government, which could not ignore his arguments that were rooted in Biblical principles and non-violent activism. He asserted that Apartheid was as malevolent as Nazism, positing that the freedom of the white community hinges on the freedom of the black community.

Desmond increasingly became a symbol of resistance against Apartheid, and the government gradually began to accept him as a negotiation partner. Since 1995, he chaired the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of South Africa, which operates on the principles of Satyagraha.

Tutu Takes a Stand

In 2008, he increasingly criticized the ANC under Jacob Zuma, which had lost its original purpose of serving the black populace, becoming permeated with corruption. After the repeated refusal to allow the Dalai Lama to attend Nobel laureate meetings, Tutu expressed his outrage, stating, “Just as we prayed for the fall of Apartheid, we now pray for the end of a government that behaves so spinelessly.” He also championed homosexual rights and supported marriage equality for same-sex couples, declaring he would never inhabit a heaven that discriminates against homosexuality.

Desmond Tutu will forever be remembered alongside prominent figures such as Nelson Mandela, Albert Schweitzer, Martin Luther King, Dalai Lama, Mother Teresa, and Mahatma Gandhi. Following Mandela's passing, he remains the last ethical authority in South Africa.