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South Africa's Desmond Tutu turns 90 amid new racist slur

Andrew Meldrum

Associated Press

Tags: Mary Robinson, Desmond Tutu, Religion, Mamphela Ramphele, Nelson Mandela, Government, Dalai Lama, politics, Graca Machel
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FILE - In this July 2016 file photo, Anglican Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu celebrates four decades of episcopal ministry at a special thanksgiving Mass at St Mary's Cathedral in Johannesburg. As South Africas anti-apartheid icon Archbishop Desmond Tutu turns 90, recent racist graffiti on a portrait of the Nobel winner highlights the continuing relevance of his work for equality. Often hailed as the conscience of South Africa, Tutu was a key campaigner against South Africas previous brutal system of oppression against the Black majority. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell, File)
FILE In this March 12, 2008 file photo, Former South African President Nelson Mandela, right, reacts with Archbishop Desmond Tutu, left, in Johannesburg, South Africa, As South Africa's anti-apartheid icon Archbishop Desmond Tutu turns 90, recent racist graffiti on a portrait of the Nobel winner highlights the continuing relevance of his work for equality. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe/File)
FILE - In this April, 20, 2006 file photo former Truth And Reconciliation Commissioner Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu gestrures during a public debate on the legacy of the TRC. in Cape Town, South Africa. As South Africas anti-apartheid icon Archbishop Desmond Tutu turns 90, recent racist graffiti on a portrait of the Nobel winner highlights the continuing relevance of his work for equality. Often hailed as the conscience of South Africa, Tutu was a key campaigner against South Africas previous brutal system of oppression against the Black majority. (AP Photo/Obed Zilwa, File)
FILE - In this Sept. 7 1986 file photo new Archbishop of Cape Town, Desmond Tutu, receives the blessing from the Dean of the Province, Kenneth Cyril Oman, during the enthronement service at St. Georges Cathedral, in central Cape Town. As South Africas anti-apartheid icon Archbishop Desmond Tutu turns 90, recent racist graffiti on a portrait of the Nobel winner highlights the continuing relevance of his work for equality. Often hailed as the conscience of South Africa, Tutu was a key campaigner against South Africas previous brutal system of oppression against the Black majority. (AP Photo/Greg English, File)
FILE - In this Dec. 10, 2013 file photo, retired Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu waits to speak during the memorial service for former South African president Nelson Mandela at the FNB Stadium in Soweto near Johannesburg. As South Africas anti-apartheid icon Archbishop Desmond Tutu turns 90, recent racist graffiti on a portrait of the Nobel winner highlights the continuing relevance of his work for equality. Often hailed as the conscience of South Africa, Tutu was a key campaigner against South Africas previous brutal system of oppression against the Black majority. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham, File)
FILE - In this Oct. 31, 2019 file photo Anglican Archbishop Emeritus, Desmond Tutu and his wife Leah pose for a photo in Cape Town, South Africa, in support of the South African Springboks Rugby team. As South Africas anti-apartheid icon Archbishop Desmond Tutu turns 90, recent racist graffiti on a portrait of the Nobel winner highlights the continuing relevance of his work for equality. Often hailed as the conscience of South Africa, Tutu was a key campaigner against South Africas previous brutal system of oppression against the Black majority. (AP Photo/Benny Gool, File)
FILE - In this Monday May 6, 2019. file photo Anglican Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu exits his home in Cape Town, South Africa. As South Africas anti-apartheid icon Archbishop Desmond Tutu turns 90, recent racist graffiti on a portrait of the Nobel winner highlights the continuing relevance of his work for equality. Often hailed as the conscience of South Africa, Tutu was a key campaigner against South Africas previous brutal system of oppression against the Black majority. (AP Photo, File)
FILE - In this May 17, 2021, file photo, Anglican Archbishop Emeritus, Desmond Tutu, left, and his wife Leah leave, after receiving shots of the COVID-19 vaccine, at the Brooklyn Chest Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa. As South Africas anti-apartheid icon Archbishop Desmond Tutu turns 90, recent racist graffiti on a portrait of the Nobel winner highlights the continuing relevance of his work for equality. Often hailed as the conscience of South Africa, Tutu was a key campaigner against South Africas previous brutal system of oppression against the Black majority. (AP Photo/Nardus Engelbrecht, File)
FILE - In this Sept. 25, 2019 file photo Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, holding their son Archie, meet with Anglican Archbishop Emeritus, Desmond Tutu, in Cape Town, South Africa. As South Africas anti-apartheid icon Archbishop Desmond Tutu turns 90, recent racist graffiti on a portrait of the Nobel winner highlights the continuing relevance of his work for equality. Often hailed as the conscience of South Africa, Tutu was a key campaigner against South Africas previous brutal system of oppression against the Black majority. (Henk Kruger/Pool via AP, File)
FILE In this Sept. 14, 1991 file photo South African President F.W. de Klerk left shakes hands with Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu in Johannesburg. As South Africa's anti-apartheid icon Archbishop Desmond Tutu turns 90, recent racist graffiti on a portrait of the Nobel winner highlights the continuing relevance of his work for equality. (AP Photo/John Parkin/File)

Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistribu

FILE - In this July 2016 file photo, Anglican Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu celebrates four decades of episcopal ministry at a special thanksgiving Mass at St Mary's Cathedral in Johannesburg. As South Africas anti-apartheid icon Archbishop Desmond Tutu turns 90, recent racist graffiti on a portrait of the Nobel winner highlights the continuing relevance of his work for equality. Often hailed as the conscience of South Africa, Tutu was a key campaigner against South Africas previous brutal system of oppression against the Black majority. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell, File)

CAPE TOWN – As South Africa's anti-apartheid icon Archbishop Desmond Tutu turns 90, recent racist graffiti on a portrait of the Nobel winner highlights the continuing relevance of his work for equality.

Often hailed as the conscience of South Africa, Tutu was a key campaigner against South Africa's previous brutal system of oppression against the country's Black majority. After South Africa achieved democracy in 1994, he continued to be an outspoken proponent of reconciliation, justice and LBGT rights.

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The racial insult sprayed last month on a mural of Tutu in Cape Town is “loathsome and sad,” said Mamphela Ramphele, acting chairwoman of the Desmond and Leah Tutu Trust.

South Africans must continue Tutu's work for racial equality, she told The Associated Press.

“Racism is a curse South Africa must escape,” said Ramphele. “Archbishop Tutu's legacy is huge. He fought against racism and fought for the humanity of us all."

Although frail, Tutu is expected to attend a service on Thursday, his birthday, at St. George’s Cathedral in central Cape Town, where as the country's first Black Anglican archbishop he delivered sermons excoriating apartheid.

He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984 for his campaign of nonviolent opposition to South Africa’s system of white minority rule.

After retiring as archbishop in 1996, Tutu was chairman of South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission which investigated human rights abuses during the apartheid era.

Despite the serious nature of his work, Tutu brought an irrepressible humor to his frequent public appearances. Notably, he supported LBGT rights and same-sex marriage.

“I would not worship a God who is homophobic and that is how deeply I feel about this,” he said in 2013. "I would refuse to go to a homophobic heaven. No, I would say ‘Sorry, I would much rather go to the other place.’”

Tutu said he was "as passionate about this campaign (for LGBT rights) as I ever was about apartheid. For me, it is at the same level.”

He withdrew from public life in 2010 and issued statements through his foundation. He has been treated for prostate cancer and was hospitalized several times in 2015 and 2016, and underwent a surgical procedure to address recurring infections from past cancer treatment.

At the church service Thursday, fellow anti-apartheid campaigner Alan Boesak is to speak. There will also be an online seminar about Tutu’s life and values to be addressed by the Dalai Lama; the widow of Nelson Mandela, Graca Machel; former Irish Prime Minister Mary Robinson; and South African governance advocate Thuli Madonsela.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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