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Reuters
A 1996 file photo of Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu and the Dalai Lama in Cape Town.
Johannesburg - Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu's attack on the African National Congress is unfortunate as he is saying things that he knows deep down are untrue, the ANC said on Tuesday.
“It is very unfortunate that Tutu - before even hearing government's side - decided to attack the government and the ANC,” said party spokesperson Jackson Mthembu.
“In his anger he decided to be economical with the truth.”
Earlier on Tuesday, reacting to the government's “failure” to grant the Dalai Lama a visa to visit the country, Tutu said South Africans would pray for the downfall of the ANC.
“We will pray as we prayed for the downfall of the apartheid government. We will pray for the downfall of a government that misrepresents us,” Tutu shouted at a news briefing in Cape Town.
“The archbishop should know deep in his heart that the ANC is doing its best, therefore very few in the religious community will pray for the demise of the ANC,” Mthembu responded.
Tutu further said the ANC had a large majority, but so had former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak and former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, both of whom were overthrown in popular uprisings. “Mubarak had a large majority. Gaddafi had a large majority. Watch out. I am warning you. Watch out.”
However, Mthembu said it was incorrect to equate the ANC government to the “repressive and divisive” apartheid regime - which had never cared for the majority of the people of South Africa, Africans in particular.
“They are not the same and to say ANC has gone worse... The bishop knows it well deep down his heart, mind and soul that that's a total untruth.”
Mthembu added: “As a result of the ANC reputation, record on human rights, democratic principles and South Africa's progressive Constitution, South Africa is today recognised by international organisations, such as the United Nations and the African Union as a critical role player in international peace and as a protector of human rights.
“As such, the archbishop's comparison of the ANC and its government to the apartheid government, to the ousted former Egyptian president, Hosni Mubarak, and to the former president of Libya, Muammar Gaddafi, is very unfortunate and totally misplaced.”
Tutu also had strong words for President Jacob Zuma. He said he once listened to one of Zuma's state of the nation speeches as the president paid tribute to everyone, apart from religious leaders, in bringing about democracy.
“I listened to this president paying tribute to all kinds of people who had helped bring about democracy in this country,” Tutu said. “This president did not mention a single religious leader. Let the ANC know that they cannot airbrush us out,” Tutu said.
In response, Mthembu said the party had not downplayed the contribution by any interest group in South Africa, but had instead been consultative in its approach and character.
He said the party had always respected all South Africans including those in the churches, and other sectors such as labour, business, traditional and religious formation, for the role that they played in the struggle for liberation.
“Tutu has said all those things because he is angry and he is emotional,” said Mthembu.
He pleaded for Tutu to “please calm down”.
“When angry, one is likely to make serious mistakes with utterances... We are not micro-managing government. The issue of the Dalai Lama was not even discussed in our structures.”
Mthembu called on the Department of International Relations to take South Africans into its confidence on the issue around the Dalai Lama, by revealing what transpired so that everyone could be on the same page. “The South African government has not responded to his withdrawal of his application,” he said. “We therefore request South Africans to hold their breath and calm down until we get a response from the government. It's logical and makes common sense that we don't jump the gun.”
He called upon South Africans to stay calm, including Tutu, and afford the government an opportunity to take everyone into its confidence around the issue leading to the withdrawal of the Tibetan leader's visa application.
“We are appealing to the archbishop to calm down and work together with the ANC and its government, first, on the Dalai Lama issue.
“Secondly, we appeal to the archbishop not to pray for the demise of the ANC-led government, but instead to work together with the ANC and pray for the ANC-led government to deliver a better life for all the people of South Africa,” Mthembu said. - Sapa
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Ficksburg, wrote
Bishop Tutu retract your statement saintly for you shall be called a child of God
Kenny Malatji, wrote
What a shame is ANC BRINGS HERE
Instinct, wrote
Religion mixed up in politics...(*sigh*) Like Jesus involved himself with the politics of man. Maybe religious leaders should learn the bases of their faiths?
Mxm, wrote
Someone please book Tutu at an old age home, what is he still doing in politics anyway? Jeeez, I've been trying to get my visa for sometime now...This is SA people must just take a number and stand in the queue! Zuma is a president for all South Africans, whether Tutu jumps or kneels that's his own baby, but I'm so dissappointed in him.
Charles, wrote
After such buffoonery and ducks n dives, this moron is appealing with the Arch to calm down, calm down for what? The damage is already done. One thing that incenses me to the core is the stupid arrogance with which they expect us the citizenry to just happily munch on the garbage they feed us. To hell with the stupid poor who who have given these morons the false belief that whatever they feed us, we shall happily munch. Talk about the government believing in its own stupid nonsense hype.
Peter, wrote
We have a constitution ; we have a so -called liberation movement in power and we are supposed to be a democratic country with the moral high ground . The big dictators in North Africa , North Korea ,Cuba ,South America and the like are being copied by the ANC . They , too , dont want people like the Dalai Lama when they can have money from benefactors.
Nono, wrote
@Haneef...dress it in tutus if you like....he should then have come out and say no I want controversy , I seek attention , I will invite Dalal Lama to make a political statement...as it is he said he just wanted his birthday playmate to come along and share the cake and other goodies, now he is throwing his toys because daddy said no...It is well and good to read btwn the lines, but whose lines? It is not such a simplistic matter...
LK, wrote
Jabu...you sound like a typical brainless little fool badly in need of an education. How many bloody criminal fugitives are in S.A. living sheltered lives? HUH? And I don't include your beloved crooked thieving leaders. The lekker thing is YOU get what YOU vote for.
LK, wrote
AND THE ANC SLOWLY STARTS CRUMBLING. I LOOOOOVE IT...
Jabu, wrote
@Joel: Amen, can't agree more with you. The Dalai Lama is a political figure. Why must the SA govt allow The Dalai Lama to use our land for his political ends? Mr. Tutu seems to regard himself as bigger than teh country. There is something called national interest. Tutu interest will never be the same nor equal to the national interest. The SA government must look at what will benefit the country as a whole and not an self-centered, narrow-minded individual like Tutu and his small clique. Some of us are not amused by Tutu's antics and theatrics. He never acepted Pres. Zuma, even at yesterday's press he kept on referring to the President as 'this president'. We voted for this ANC government and will continue doing so. Why doesn't Tutu stand for a political position and take on the ANC without hiding behind the cloth? I have long doubted Tutu's Christian stand. He is so vindictive, holds grudges and judgmental. All these are things the Bible warns Christians against. The Dalai Lama is not welcome in England, USA (except in New York- where even Mr. Mugabe can go without being arrested)& many other western countries precicely because of his political position. Why should we jeoppardise our national interest for the sake of pleasing this old man Tutu? Tutu must go to an old age home and be never allowed to leave the gates.
haneef, wrote
@ Nono....the issue is not about a birthday party! learn to read between the lines. The governement has tarnished their own image amongst the international community by not granting the Dalai Lama a visa into our country. I find it hard to believe that the governement could not act swiftly to grant him a visa. The governement are very quick to allow their own ministers access to private travel at tapayers expense and any other access they require without any trouble but yet they cant allow a harmless peace loving nobel prize awardee entrance into our democratic and fair country?? wake up Nono
dugsbaws, wrote
@Joel, you bring an interesting and quite refreshing perspective to these forums. Well researched and poignant.Quite critical of some of the other punters in setting the record straight. Well Done. Such a pity though that your country is going down the tubes, and the Zim strategy is just around the corner, have you the wisdom and vision to see that...?????
Kangaroo, wrote
@Anonymous 8.45am...you say Africa for African...if that was the case....you would be forgotten and a basket case and the rest of the world would have moved on and you would be still living in the dark ages....we now live in a global village "friend"
Nono, wrote
All this for a birthday party. Tutu must grow up, seriously!!!
Warwick, wrote
If praying would get rid of this useless autocratic ANC joke Iwould be on my knees 24 hours a day
Simphiwe Nkepu, wrote
It is clear that we elected mafias to run our country,disguise as politicians.As South Africans we need to rise above party politics and remove all this government headed by the ANC.The only thing they have achieve so far is to fill their coffers with public money,through their corrupt activities.Travelgate,armsdeal scandal are just examples of how untransparent this government is.
Joel, wrote
@Anonymous 08:44 am; Tutu is supposed to stand for Christ, but is showing different fruits. Who is Tutu, is he a Christian or a Satanist. He has a wagging tongue, a tongue of a snake, he curses like the devil. he wishes that bad things happen to Zuma, who whom from the beginning refused to recognise him as his president. Dallai Lama is not a Christian, he worship something different. So urally, what has darkness has to do with the light. Christians has to watch carefully, and read the times correctly. ---------------------------------------------------- @Anonymous 07:44 am 5 Oct:As a Pastor and a Christian Leader i am very disappointed with ArchBishop Desmond Tutu, His utterances shows lack of knowledge of the Bible, there is no where in the bible where it encourages us to pray for the government to fall, his behaviour is anti-christian, this government was placed by God, the ANC was founded by the Pastors, I wonder why he is so much concerned about this Da lai Lamai, may be Tutu no longer represents Christian beliefs, He must convert to Buddism straight forward, and leave Christianity alone, The ANC is 99% Christian, Please Tutu be careful of what you are saying. ----------------------------------------------------- These unjustified and ill-informed attacks on the Archbishop cannot and should not be allowed to go nchallenged. There is absolutely nothing anti-Christian and Satanist about what the Archbishop is saying or doing. He did the same with the apartheid regime and he was accused of being a Communist and everything negative by those who could not stand his message. It is amazing how history repeats itself. As for Pastor and Leader it is amazing how some ministers of the Gospel can allow themselves to be brainwashed. During the apartheid era, when Archbishop Tutu was challenging the apartheid regime, many ministers chose to be silent or condemned the Archbishop for preaching truth to power. They said he was not preaching the authentic gospel and said Nelson Mandela was fake and a phony. And today we find the other extreme, ministers of the Gospel who have been brainwashed by the ANC led by Jacob Zuma and are prepared to condone with straight faces the wrong things going on in our country. The truth of the matter is that the Jacob Zuma-led ANC government is misrepresenting the ANC and the country. Archbishop Tutu must continue to speak truth to power and be different from some of these ministers who have become Zuma psychophants.
Juice, wrote
Hey Jackson! What if your 'best' just isn't good enough? Your 'best' gave us Julius Malema. Your 'best' gave us corruption, nepotism, cronyism, failed service delivery, failed telecomms liberation, failed AIDS policies, failed education systems, failed job creation. Maybe you should move over and admit you're not as good as you'd like people to believe!
LK, wrote
JOEL........LAST TIME PAL - YOU GET WHAT YOU VOTE FOR.
Catherine, wrote
Makes me want to vomit! Such self-righteous bullshit. Does this Jackson Mthembu think we're complete morons?! It's disgusting. The government should at least have the testicular fortitude to admit that they're bowing to Chinese pressure.
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