Archbishop emeritus Desmond Tutu has urged the Mandela family not to “besmirch” the former president’s name with their squabble over the reburial of three of his children, likening their behaviour to “spitting in Madiba’s face.”
Tutu asked the family to put their differences aside and dig deep within themselves to find the grace that Mandela and the country deserved at this time.
“Please, please, please may we think not only of ourselves? It’s almost like spitting in Madiba’s face,” he said in a statement.
“Your anguish, now, is the nation’s anguish – and the world’s. We want to embrace you, to support you, to shine our love for Madiba through you. Please, may we not besmirch his name?”
His comments come as the long-running feud within the Mandela clan has intensified over the last four weeks, with the former president in a “critical” state in hospital.
Following last week’s fight for the remains of three of Mandela’s children between the two opposing branches of the family, nominated clan leader Mandla Mandela, the former leader’s grandson, launched a scathing public attack on his rival family members, claiming they were looking for revenge after he had refused to support their legal case to oust three of the former president’s aides from companies he had set up.
Tutu’s comments were echoed by those of Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe.
“It’s all very sad, but we’ve got to continue keeping the family and Madiba in our prayers and hope, continue to hope, that Madiba will recover and also that the family will manage its own affairs in a dignified manner,” he told a Johannesburg radio chat show.
