ARCHBISHOP DESMOND Tutu, a Nobel peace prize winner for his work to end white minority rule in South Africa, officially stood down from public life yesterday on his 79th birthday.
The man who is often described as the “conscience” of his nation marked his retirement with a family celebration on board a cruise ship docked in Cape Town, where he served as archbishop for the Anglican Church in the 1980s.
His passing from public life was hardly acknowledged at all by the local media, such is the level of doubt surrounding the outspoken anti-apartheid hero’s ability to keep out of the spotlight.
Reporters looking for an interview yesterday were told he was unavailable. Instead his spokesman Dan Vaughan told those who pressed for comment that Archbishop Tutu was serious about quieting down and that in future interviews would be a very rare occurrence.
“He will now be refusing most of the interview requests he receives,” he said.
Shortly after Archbishop Tutu announced his intentions to retire over three months ago, he set sail from Canada on a five-month around the world voyage with his wife Leah on board a ship packed with hundreds of university students.
But “The Arch”, as he has become known locally, made port in Cape Town last Sunday and according to Mr Vaughan he plans to celebrate his birthday and retirement with those closest to him “The ship happens to be in Cape Town today, and he’ll be having a birthday celebration on board with family and friends,” he said.
Aside from his advanced years, Archbishop Tutu said during his last major interview he had decided to retire because he wanted to spend more time with his family and watch cricket. He added it was also time to make way for the next generation of South African leaders.
Nevertheless, he is planning to continue his work with The Elders, a group of leading statesmen and women including Ireland’s former president Mary Robinson, and with a group of fellow Nobel laureates that speaks out against injustices around the world.
He will also continue to develop the Desmond Tutu Peace Centre in Cape Town, where the organisation is building a new complex to house his peace projects.
He became the first black archbishop of Cape Town in 1986 and was renowned around the world for taking on the apartheid system from his pulpit.He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984 along with Nelson Mandela.