Former Anglican archbishop of Cape Town Desmond Tutu called on South Africans on Tuesday, especially those in the media, to report the good stories coming out of the country partly to help heal the rift caused by apartheid.
”I think that we in South Africa tend to suffer a great deal from selling ourselves short,” Tutu told guests attending the Hospice Palliative Care Association of SA’s (HPCASA) awareness campaign launch.
”We are not very good at acknowledging the good things that we accomplish. There are in fact many beautiful things that we do in this country.”
He said someone he spoke to about the Springboks’ win against the All Blacks over the weekend was reluctant to acknowledge the victory.
”It is very typical of us. The world over, people are amazed at what happened in 1994… we have become quite blazé.
”Look at Northern Ireland, look at Sri Lanka… look at Burundi… We did remarkably well in that transition,” he said.
Tutu said the leadership of the white community let whites down by not testifying before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
”The white community snubbed the TRC and missed out on a wonderful opportunity for healing, not so much trying to meet halfway the incredible generosity that was shown by the victims.
”But your white leadership made you miss an opportunity of being healed, of being set free from the burden of guilt that many still bear,” he said.
The HPCASA seeks to provide palliative care to people who suffer from HIV/Aids. – Sapa