Archbishop Desmond Tutu
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission hearings15 April 1996 — 31 July 1998 |
Artist: Anton Mombe Location: City Hall, Buxton Street, East London
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Artist Anton Momberg made the sculpture honouring Archbishop Desmond Tutu slightly smaller than life size, favouring intimacy over monumentality. Picture: Gary Harlor © Gary Harlor In the East London City Hall, on April 16, 1996, Archbishop Desmond Tutu dropped his head in his hands and wept. It was Day Two of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission hearings; former Robben Islander Singqokwana Ernest Malgas was describing his torture by security police. The TRC received submissions from 21 000 people across South Africa, and Tutu, its chairman, would say of the process: "We have looked the beast in the eye. Our past will no longer keep us hostage. We who are the rainbow people of God will hold hands and say, 'Never again! Nooit weer! Ngeke futhi! Ga reno tlola!'" From The Archives Tutu and the Nobel Peace PrizeOn October 16, 1984, the Nobel committee announced that Desmond Mpilo Tutu would become the second South African to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, unleashing a mixed tide of adulation and criticism. The Truth and Reconciliation CommissionTHE Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) was a crucial aspect of South Africa's transition to a new government and universal franchise. Facing the Second Day of the TRC HearingsThe humanity and compassion with which Tutu led the TRC are nowhere more evident than in the patent emotional investment and engagement he brought to the proceedings. Tutu's Moral StatureDesmond Tutu has become a symbol of integrity within South Africa and on the international stage. Life Stories The Day the Truth Hit HomeOn the second day of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, while listening to Singqokwana Ernest Malgas describe how he was tortured by apartheid security police, Archbishop Desmond Tutu dropped his head in his hands and wept. Making the Memorial Who is Anton Momberg?PORT Elizabeth-based sculptor Anton Momberg has produced just one meticulous new sculpture a year for the past 10 years, flying in the face of the pervasiveness of mass production. The Light Bulb Moment: The Artist's ConceptAnton explains the symbolism behind the open hands of Tutu's statuette, saying they demonstrate his honesty before his country. |
"It has been an incredible privilege to preside over the process of healing a traumatised and wounded people." Archbishop Desmond Tutu 
Archbishop Desmond Tutu, 1993
Picture: © The Sunday Times
IN THE CLASSROOM |
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In this lesson plan, learners will be offered the opportunity to think about the impact of personal testimony about apartheid-related events. They will also be asked to interpret a cartoon, and to think about the long-term effects of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). You′ll need the Adobe Acrobat PDF reader to view these lesson plans. Download it here.  | The truths that hurt | | Contains extract from the SABC’s coverage of the TRC showing the testimony of Singqokwana Ernest Malgas and Archbishop Tutu’s emotional reaction to it. |
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