Someone voicing their happiness for Nelson Mandela’s death is not something you hear every day, but retired archbishop Desmond Tutu thought the declaration would be fitting for his argument against South Africa’s current leaders for the direction he feels they have taken the country.
The African National Congress (ANC) has been in power since 1994, and was originally run by Mandela. Tutu has become much more critical of the organization since Jacob Zuma took over.
“I didn’t think there would be a disillusionment so soon,” he told South Africa’s Sunday Times. He then added that Mandela, along with other leaders of the fight against apartheid’s death were something he was glad that had happened. “I’m glad that Madiba is dead,” said Tutu. ”I’m glad that most of these people are no longer alive to see this.”
Tutu’s words come at a time when South Africa is in celebration. Monday was Freedom Day – the anniversary for the country’s first post-apartheid elections which happened 20 years ago today, as reported by Independent.co.uk.
Tutu and the ANC do not have a good relationship. Despite he and Mandela being the best of friends and him taking over the liberation movement following Mandela’s arrest, Tutu was still not included in Mandela’s funeral program, as reported by the site. Moreover, Tutu was barely invited to the funeral at all.
ANC will be holding the first elections since Mandela’s death next month, but Tutu has already made it clear that he will not be voting.
