By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The requiem mass started at 10:00 at St. George’s Cathedral where, for years, Archbishop Desmond Tutu used the pulpit to rail against a brutal white minority regime.
Famous for his modesty, Tutu gave instructions for a simple, no-frills ceremony, with a cheap coffin, donations for charity instead of floral tributes and an eco-friendly cremation.
President Cyril Ramaphosa will deliver the eulogy and then hand over the national flag Mam Leah Tutu.
The king of Lesotho, His Majesty Letsie III, Former president Thabo Mbeki,Former president Kgalema Motlanthe are also present at the Cathedral for Tutu’s official funeral service.
Reverend Michael Weeder, the Dean of Cape Town, welcomed both those who are in the cathedral and those watching from home, acknowledging that many more would have wanted to attend the funeral but were unable to due to the pandemic.
The choir is being streamed in via video link. They are singing “Great is thy faithfulness.”
Reverend Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury has expressed his condolences and those of all Anglicans around the world to mama Leah and the family of the late Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu.
In a pre-recorded video message aired on Saturday morning at Tutu’s funeral, Reverend Welby said that for himself or any Archbishop of Canterbury to give a tribute to the Archbishop was like a mouse giving a tribute to an elephant.
He went on to say that Archbishop Tutu had lit up the world.
“South Africa has given us so much in the last 30 years, in the extraordinary example of the rainbow nation, and two giant figures that tower over the world, President Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Tutu.
“We are so grateful, in all the the messages I have received from around the world, the most striking common thing was when people said, when we were in the dark he brought us into the light, and that light has lit up countries globally, countries that were struggling with fear, conflict, persecution, oppression, where the marginalised suffered,” he said.
Tutu never ceased to speak prophetically, he never ceased to speak powerfully, he never ceased to shed light, added Welby.
He further indicated that Archbishop Tutu’s light grew brighter, and his was the light of Christ and that is why his light will go on shining because it is the light of Christ, the very Christ who sent him, who he served, who gave him courage.
Reverend Michael Nuttall is currently doing the sermon.
“Desmond and I became close. He was Archbishop of Cape Town, and I was Dean of Natal. Our partnership struck a chord a dynamic black leader and his deputy we were a foretaste in a divided nation,” he said.
“Love kindness. This was our arch at his very best. His was not a harsh ideological quest for justice. Always it was grounded in mercy,” said Nuttall.
Nuttall: “Voice of the muted multitude, son of the dark mysterious land. Called at the height of crisis to the Cape of Storms to transform it into the Cape of Good Hope.”
Road closure warnings
The City of Cape Town said motorists have been advised to find alternative routes or avoid the cathedral precinct entirely, if possible. “A number of roads, including Wale and Adderley streets, will be closed on Saturday,” it added in a statement.
A viewing space has been made available on the Grand Parade for the funeral service of the late archbishop. Access to this area will be via the entrance to the Grand Parade along Castle Street.
The City said there would be no general public access to the area around the cathedral.
Capetonians will brave the rain on Saturday to pay their last respects to the late Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu at the St George’s Cathedral. Members of the public were set to view proceedings at the grand parade – but a heavy downpour may hamper this.