The late Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu will lie in state at St George’s Cathedral from today, instead of Friday as it was initially announced.
This was to give the public more time to view his coffin.
The office of the Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town said in a statement the public viewing will be allowed from 9am until 5pm on both days.
“Strict Covid protocols apply and the public is urged to observe these protocols as directed by the Covid officer and ushers on duty,” it said.
The Archbishop Tutu IP Trust and the Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation said the archbishop was very clear on his wishes for his funeral. He wanted no ostentatiousness or lavish spending.
“He asked that the coffin be the cheapest available and that a bouquet of carnations from his family be the only flowers in the cathedral,” they said.
The funeral of Tutu will be held on Saturday at St George’s Cathedral at 10am.
Bishop Michael Nuttall will be officiating.
President Cyril Ramaphosa declared that Tutu will be accorded a special official funeral category 1.
Tutu, the last surviving South African laureate of the Nobel Peace Prize, died at the age of 90 on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the City of Cape Town has fired back at claims that it had set aside R42 million for lighting up Table Mountain and City Hall purple, in honour of the late Archbishop.
On Monday, a Twitter user alleged that the City was spending R2.3 million per day in honour of the struggle icon.
Greg Wagner, the mayor’s spokesperson, said: “I can confirm that the total cost for the purple lights this week will only amount to R80 000, for lighting up both Table Mountain and the City Hall.”