South Africa: Desmond Tutru mural defaced

Cape Town, South Africa (PANA) – The Desmond Tutu Trust has condemned the “loathsome” desecration of a popular Tutu mural in downtown Cape Town after it was emblazoned with racist graffiti.

Trust chairperson Mamphela Ramphele said the incident undermines South Africa's democracy and indicates that work is still needed to restore humanity.

She noted that the Nobel Laureate is about to celebrate his 90th birthday in Cape Town where he is retired. “He is the grandfather of the nation, and a global symbol of peace and righteousness. Racism is a curse South Africa must escape,” she said.

The former Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town has been a lightning rod for racists over the decades. In 1989, a baboon foetus was hung outside his home in an attempt to intimidate him.

Police are studying Cape Town's security cameras in an attempt to identify the perpetrator.

-0- PANA CU/AR 28Sept2021