We will correct past wrongs, Cyril promises Tutu

President Cyril Ramaphosa popped in to visit Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu and Leah Tutu at their home in Hermanus today.

During the courtesy call‚ the president promised to “correct past wrongs” that had led to Tutu being a vocal critic of the government under former president Jacob Zuma, SowetanLive reports.

Ramaphosa was accompanied by Ebrahim Rasool and Faiez Jacobs of the Western Cape ANC‚ and ANC national executive committee member Zizi Kodwa.

Tutu has in the past publicly criticised the country’s former presidents Thabo Mbeki and Jacob Zuma, even stating during a press conference that “one day, we will start praying for the defeat of the ANC Government.”

Today the clergyman was in a more jovial mood. He welcomed and offered prayers for the ANC leadership.

“Know that we pray regularly for you and your colleagues. It looks to us that we are on the way to becoming what we intended to be. We give great thanks to you and your colleagues and we say may the Lord keep you and protect you,” he told President Ramaphosa.

Ramaphosa apologised to the Archbishop for the fact that he had lost confidence in government‚ and promised to correct the wrongs.

“I also want to apologise for that. We put you through a period where you lost confidence in the leadership of the country,” Ramaphosa said.

“It was not a pleasant moment to hear you as the Archbishop, that we always loved, expressing your loss of hope and loss of confidence.

“I just wanted to say I am sorry we put you through that, but we will work very hard to regain your confidence and make you proud. We will do that,” Ramaphosa added.

Also present were the Tutus’ eldest daughter‚ Thandeka‚ and son-in-law‚ Mthunzi Gxashe.

– Citizen reporter

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