“He is my father. Losing a father is always difficult. I lost my biological father when I was a teenager, 19 years old, and he became my spiritual father and now my emotional father,” Ramphele said.
“I have journeyed with Mama [Leah] as one of her advisers, daughter, everything and sat there with her on the last night. I wouldn’t say I feel a sense of loss, I feel a sense of sadness but also a sense of relief because my prayer was, ‘Lord, let your servant go in peace. He has served you with distinction, now accept him into your arms.’ That is my song that uTata is now rested.”
She said Tutu was a man of peace who lived according to the values of ubuntu.
“Tata taught us that there is enough for all of us to share,” she said.
“Social justice was his primary focus. You see how simple his coffin is? You see how we don’t see this long convoy of black cars? The family cars are there. He said: ‘Why should we take money that the government should be using to serve the poorest among us for my funeral?’ The coffin was bought by the family. The family is bearing the actual costs of the burial and that’s the man.”
TimesLIVE
'Archbishop Tutu taught me how to dress impeccably': Dr Mamphela Ramphele
Image: Supplied
Former University of Cape Town vice-chancellor Dr Mamphela Ramphele has credited the late Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu for her impeccable dress style.
Ramphele was speaking at St George's Cathedral in Cape Town on Friday where Tutu’s remains lay in state. She said she had lost a father in the Arch — as Tutu was affectionately known.
“I was telling people yesterday that when I arrived in Cape Town I was a village woman and an activist and had a tomboy approach to dressing,” said Ramphele.
“And he sat me down and said: ‘No my darling, here you’ve got to raise the quality of your wardrobe.' So, each time I dressed I had to be careful that he would approve. And when he was ill at home and I visited him every day, he would say: ‘You are so beautiful, my child.’ He was that kind of man who paid attention to the smallest of details. At the same time, he had this big view both globally and spiritually.”
Ramphele said she was with Tutu’s family “to receive the body yesterday morning for the first time”. She had been at his widow Leah’s side during Tutu’s illness.
‘Live a life of gratitude' - Inside Desmond Tutu's final farewells
“He is my father. Losing a father is always difficult. I lost my biological father when I was a teenager, 19 years old, and he became my spiritual father and now my emotional father,” Ramphele said.
“I have journeyed with Mama [Leah] as one of her advisers, daughter, everything and sat there with her on the last night. I wouldn’t say I feel a sense of loss, I feel a sense of sadness but also a sense of relief because my prayer was, ‘Lord, let your servant go in peace. He has served you with distinction, now accept him into your arms.’ That is my song that uTata is now rested.”
She said Tutu was a man of peace who lived according to the values of ubuntu.
“Tata taught us that there is enough for all of us to share,” she said.
“Social justice was his primary focus. You see how simple his coffin is? You see how we don’t see this long convoy of black cars? The family cars are there. He said: ‘Why should we take money that the government should be using to serve the poorest among us for my funeral?’ The coffin was bought by the family. The family is bearing the actual costs of the burial and that’s the man.”
TimesLIVE
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