Mamphela Ramphele, a representative of the Tutu family has called on people to celebrate the life and times of the late retired Archbishop Desmond Tutu by returning to the essence of Ubuntu.
Speaking at the interfaith memorial service to honour Tutu who died on Sunday at his home in Cape Town, Ramphele said: “I would like to plead with all of us, not only just those who are here but all over who are listening and will be celebrating the Archbishop the rest of this week. Can we dare re-commit to live a life that is infused by the values of Ubuntu as the Archbishop taught us, because in life love, hope, faith becomes so much easier if simply we return to the essence of being human.”
Anglican Archbishop, Thabo Makgoba says St George’s Cathedral will be closed after the viewing times of Tutu’s lie in state. He says the new time adjustments were effected to avoid traffic congestion.
Makgoba says, “After 5pm on Friday, the Cathedral will be closed and there will be a silent vigil in the Cathedral where the Archbishop will be. At 9pm on Friday, there will also be compline by the clergy. It’s not a public event that is on both days after 5pm, – the Cathedral doors will be closed. May the Archbishop indeed rest in peace and rise in glory. The changes in times are to allow the morning traffic to actually not be disturbed from 7am to 7pm. We changed the times just to be considerate.”