Archbishop Desmond Tutu reacted wearily on Tuesday to the latest claims of a right-wing agenda levelled against him by the African National Congress.
”I am old now,” he sighed, asked for comment on the matter after delivering an address on reconciliation and forgiveness at the University of Pretoria in the morning.
”I let some of these things go off my back like water.”
In its latest weekly online newsletter, the ANC said recent remarks made by Tutu, critical of the party, ”coincided exactly with the positions taken by the right wing”.
Tutu’s recent reported criticism of transformation in sport, in which he advocated the abandonment of tokenism, ”seemingly coincided with the views of the right wing with regard to this sphere of our national life”, the ANC said.
The right wing continues to express support for Tutu, the party said.
”Understandably, it was very happy that an icon expressed views it had been promoting for some time, both about our movement and our policies.
”For its purposes, it was extremely important that these views were now being expressed by an icon identified and revered as a fighter against apartheid, at the same time as the right wing was doing its best to position the ANC within the public discourse.”
The right wing can now say it has a black Nobel Peace Prize-winner on it side, the ANC said.
‘Things could have been worse’
In his address to the university’s Arts and Reconciliation Festival and Conference, Tutu said racism is still a problem in South Africa, and there are problems with reconciliation.
”But, quite certainly, things could have been a great deal worse. We are not yet there, but remember we are seeking to undo the ghastly consequences of three centuries of colonial and racist oppression.
”It would be totally unrealistic to think it can be accomplished overnight.”
South Africans are the ”masters and mistresses” of selling themselves short, Tutu said.
”We really don’t know just how lucky we are to be where we are,” he said. The rest of the world still marvels at how peaceful the country’s transition has been, and continues to derive inspiration from it.
”We have amazed a world which had expected we would go down the tube. We should stand tall and thank God that we are where we are.”
South Africans are ”quite blasé” about the country’s stability and the remarkably friendly feelings between races.
This does not mean there is no racism or ill feelings, but Tutu compared South Africa with countries in the Middle East, Sudan, Haiti and others plagued by conflict.
He also cited Colombia, where he recently attended a symposium on restorative justice and peace for that country.
Colombians derive much hope from the South African experience, Tutu said, and asked the country for help.
”We have given them hope,” he said. ”If it [peace] could happen in South Africa, it could happen any- and everywhere.
”That is what we mean to others out there.” — Sapa