South Africa: "The symbol of the rainbow as a heritage is really pure Desmond Tutu"

Audio 03:56

Desmond Tutu died Sunday, December 26 at the age of 90.

AFP / File

By: Romain Chanson Follow

3 min

Dr Mamphela Ramphele, a doctor by training, is a former anti-apartheid activist.

She met Desmond Tutu in the 1970s, when she was part of the Black Consciouness movement with her partner, the activist Steve Biko, who was assassinated in 1977. Today she chairs the Desmond Tutu IP Trust which manages the intellectual property of Desmond Tutu who passed away on December 26.

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Dr Mamphela Ramphele: 

I wouldn't say there is a particular time, but that was when he became General Secretary of the South African Council of Churches, starting in 1978. He was at the outpost for defend people who were violently oppressed. He became the voice that stood up and said to the apartheid regime: you may sound powerful, but the God we pray to is even more powerful. He also became the voice calling for an economic boycott of South Africa, and that's what put him in the spotlight.

Desmond Tutu chaired the Truth and Reconciliation Commission supposed to shed light on crimes committed under the apartheid regime.

Reconcile but also do justice to the victims.

And on this last point, some accuse him of having been too weak, especially the younger generation who believe that the executioners of the regime got away with it.

Is it unfair to think like this, and has he suffered from these criticisms?

It is unfair to blame Desmond Tutu for the ineffectiveness of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

Its mission was to enforce what had already been concluded between the ANC and the apartheid government.

That is, to follow the path of truth, amnesty and reconciliation.

He spared no effort. It was a very stressful process, his wife had to sit next to him to support him whenever he was overcome with emotion. But more importantly, compensation was provided for the victims who came to testify with an open heart. Imagine, you have a deeply divided society and through the tears of these witnesses we have a bridge. And he was the architect of that bridge. And he felt betrayed when the little that was promised to people who came to support the Commission process and who had agreed to offer amnesty to people who killed their loved ones. Many died without touching a dime. It's a shame, but it's not Desmond Tutu's fault.

Desmond Tutu popularized the expression “the rainbow nation” to refer to South Africa, where a diverse population coexists, made up of blacks, mestizos, Indians and whites.

Where does this expression come from?

It was his way of encouraging us to view humanity as a garden.

A rose garden would not be beautiful if it consisted only of yellow, red or white flowers.

The rainbow is not only the symbol of a mixture of colors, but also that of a new day after dark and rainy clouds.

And the rainbows are the manifestation of hope for better days.

The symbol of the rainbow as an heirloom is truly pure Desmond Tutu.

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