Cape Town - He’s late to the party, but he has finally arrived – Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu has joined Twitter and Facebook.
Tweeps will be able to follow the Nobel Peace Prize winner and his organisation, The Desmond and Leah Tutu Foundation, on @TutuLegacy from today.
Tutu, 81, officially retired from public life in 2010.
The foundation said on Wednesday that while Tutu was taking steps to reduce his travel and workload, he had taken to Twitter and Facebook “to continue the discussion”.
“Some have described Twitter as a blessing in the hands of retired members of the clergy. There is no space to ramble,” Tutu said.
Tutu will have some catching up to do. Other well-known figures who caught on to social media earlier have huge followings – such as US President Barack Obama with more than 34.7 million followers and Pope Francis with 7.2 million. Closer to home, President Jacob Zuma has more than 256 600, Premier Helen Zille 306 200 and Cosatu’s Zwelinzima Vavi 98 500.
The foundation has been established with Tutu’s daughter, Rev Mpho Tutu, as executive director to ensure that Tutu’s legacy, as well as that of his wife Leah, is preserved and propagated.
Mpho Tutu said: “The Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation is founded on the pillars of spirituality, human dignity and conflict resolution. We want to ensure that my parents’ work and legacy inspire current and future generations.
“Social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook allow us to reach out across the world and at home to talk to people in the spirit of ubuntu, one of our founding principles.”
There are a number of Twitter accounts that use Tutu’s name.
But the @TutuLegacy account, which will consist of Tweets from both the archbishop and Mpho Tutu, is the only one with the Tutu seal of approval.
* Tutu can be found on Twitter at @TutuLegacy and on Facebook at www. facebook.com/Desmondand LeahTutuLegacyFoundation.
** The official @ TutuLegacy
account has been suspended for now. We are awaiting more info.
Cape Times