Two years after Desmond Tutu, South Africa still searches for moral guides

In the "Rainbow Nation" -- a nickname Desmond Tutu himself coined -- people often wonder what the Nobel laureate would have done or said in various situations. In a gloomy political and social context, Desmond Tutu's voice, "The Arch'" as South Africans called him, is sometimes missed, especially since he never hesitated to denounce injustices. During apartheid and well beyond: criticizing the ANC, Nelson Mandela's party; defending LGBTQ rights; advocating for environmental protection; speaking out against discrimination towards Palestinians... "He embodied righteous anger," explains Janet Jobson, CEO of the Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation. "Today's youth only remember him as the funny little man, but he was very radical, and it was this radical side that led everyone."

This deep commitment, combined with his courage and unconditional love for others, inspired many of his peers and successors. The current Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town, Thabo Makgoba, follows in the footsteps of his mentor, known like him for his strong words. In his Christmas sermon, he denounced the corruption of politicians who "walk shamelessly and brazenly with their dirty feet through every aspect of our South African lives," and the "horrific war in Gaza," often quoting Desmond Tutu: "If you want peace, you don't talk to your friends. You talk to your enemies."

A unique charisma

Desmond Tutu died December 26, 2021, and walking in his footsteps, is a challenging task. "Many act today in a way that reflects the values he advocated," Janet Jobson believes. "But we lack someone with his charisma, the way he had of touching the soul of the Nation. He had this unique agility to carry a voice bigger than himself."

For the Anglican Bishop of Johannesburg, Steve Moreo, a close associate of Desmond Tutu, it's necessary to accept that he can't be replaced. "When I was appointed in Johannesburg in 2013, I remember making the conscious decision that I would not be Desmond Tutu; instead, I would embrace what he stood for. Because he was unique and was called by God in a particular situation, with a specific message for that situation."

For him, Desmond Tutu is a constant reminder that one must be "prophetic with grace," and consider every person as created in the image of God, without judgment.

Inspirations throughout civil society

Desmond Tutu's legacy extends well beyond the Anglican Church. Imtiaz Sooliman is today a moral model endorsed by South Africans. The founder of the crisis response NGO "Gift of the Givers," he was pushed by Desmond Tutu himself for the Nobel Peace Prize, and it was to him that the former Anglican Archbishop chose to bequeath his emblematic cap. While Imtiaz Sooliman's humanitarian inspiration was instilled by a Sufi sheikh, Muhammed Saffer, he was deeply marked by his encounters with "The Arch." "Desmond Tutu taught us all the need to always care for one another. We never felt divided between religions. He represented the very essence of the religious leader, in the sense of the Scriptures."

As South Africa remains mired in inequalities, divisions, and violence, the "Rainbow Nation" does not really resemble the one Desmond Tutu had dreamed of, yet he never gave in to cynicism or despair. "He often described himself as a 'prisoner of hope'," Janet Jobson of the Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation further explains. "For him, it was not a form of optimism, but a deep commitment to act to create change in the world." "We must continue, as religious and political leaders," pleads Bishop Steve Moreo. "We must continue to say that there is hope."