Cape Town – In a tribute to her father, Nontombi Naomi Tutu, the daughter of Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu expressed gratitude for the messages of condolences that the Tutu family received following her father's passing.
The funeral service of the 90-year-old peacemaker is currently under way at the St George's Cathedral in Cape Town.
Naomi said the family has been unable to attend to or respond to every message and prayer received, but thanked the public for the overwhelming support.
"If you sent us a message and you haven't heard from the person you sent it to… it is not because we are ignoring or are ungrateful for the message…we have just received so many and we have just been overwhelmed," she said.
She added: "uDaddy would say the love the world has shown has warmed the cockles of our hearts and then he would say 'I don't know what a cockle is, but whatever it is has been warmed.' And since he was an English teacher and doesn't know what a cockle is… I definitely don't know what a cockle is, but our cockles are warm. We thank you for loving our father, grandfather, husband, uncle, brother, brother-in-law."
While sharing her farewell message, Tutu turned to her father's brown casket and said: "Thank you, daddy, for the many ways you showed us love, for the many times you have challenged us, for the many times you have comforted us."
Tutu is survived by his wife Leah, his four children Trevor Tutu, Thandeka-Tutu-Gxashe, Nontombi Naomi Tutu and Mpho Tutu, his sister Gloria Radebe, brother in-law Leonard Shenxane.
He is also survived by his grandchildren Palesa and Lizo Tutu, Xabiso Gxashe, Nompumelelo and Mpilo Ngomane, Nyaniso and Theo Burris, as well as two great-grandchildren, nephews, nieces and other extended family members.
Political Bureau