SAGov
President Cyril Ramaphosa says flags will fly at half-mast at flag stations across the country in honour of the late Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu.
He died on Sunday morning at his home in Cape Town at the age of 90 following a long battle with prostate cancer.
Tutu's passing made global headlines, triggering a slew of condolences from South Africa and abroad.
National and global leaders have hailed the man fondly known as ‘the Arch’ for his contribution to the country’s democratic dispensation.
He’s also been described as a towering figure and "moral compass" who fought against injustice in South Africa and elsewhere.
Delivering a message on Tutu’s passing on Sunday night, President Cyril Ramaphosa said in the “in the days to come, we will mourn this global icon of peace and freedom.”
“We will pay tribute to a life lived in the service of God and in the service of his fellow woman and man. We will recount his achievements, we will recall his teachings and we will cherish fond memories of this man who always tempered criticism with compassion.”
Ramaphosa said Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu was one of the nation’s finest patriots.
“He was a man of unwavering courage, of principled conviction, and whose life was spent in the service of others. He embodied the essence of our humanity,” he said.
