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Tutu 'will go to Mandela funeral after all' | |
(about 3 hours later) | |
Veteran anti-apartheid campaigner Desmond Tutu will be going to Nelson Mandela's funeral on Sunday after all, his spokesman says. | |
Earlier, Archbishop Tutu had said he would not be going because he had not been invited. | |
He said he did not want to gate-crash "a private family funeral". | |
"Tutu will be travelling to Qunu early tomorrow morning to attend Tata Madiba's funeral," his spokesman Roger Friedman said later. | |
He gave no further details after a day of conflicting statements as to whether the former archbishop of Cape Town would be attending the funeral in Eastern Cape province. | |
Archbishop Tutu issued a statement earlier saying: "I would have loved to attend the service to say a final farewell to someone I loved and treasured." | |
However, a presidential spokesman insisted he was among those invited and any problems would be sorted out. | However, a presidential spokesman insisted he was among those invited and any problems would be sorted out. |
"The arch is not an ordinary church person; he is a special person in our country and he is definitely on the list," Mac Maharaj told AFP news agency. | |
"If there's any problem we will try to iron that out, but I can assure you that he is on the programme." | "If there's any problem we will try to iron that out, but I can assure you that he is on the programme." |
Government spokesman Collins Chabane also said that Mr Tutu was on the guest list. | Government spokesman Collins Chabane also said that Mr Tutu was on the guest list. |
Cancelled plans | Cancelled plans |
The archbishop's office said he had cancelled plans to travel to the Eastern Cape for the burial after receiving no indication that he was invited. | The archbishop's office said he had cancelled plans to travel to the Eastern Cape for the burial after receiving no indication that he was invited. |
"Had I or my office been informed that I would be welcome there is no way on earth that I would have missed it," the statement said. | "Had I or my office been informed that I would be welcome there is no way on earth that I would have missed it," the statement said. |
Archbishop Tutu, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, was a friend of Nelson Mandela for decades. | Archbishop Tutu, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, was a friend of Nelson Mandela for decades. |
He chaired South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which investigated human rights abuses carried out during the apartheid era, and was a visible symbol of the anti-apartheid struggle during the decades of Mr Mandela's incarceration. | |
He has been critical of the current ANC government led by President Jacob Zuma. | He has been critical of the current ANC government led by President Jacob Zuma. |
The archbishop was not initially due to speak at Tuesday's memorial event for Mr Mandela in Johannesburg. | The archbishop was not initially due to speak at Tuesday's memorial event for Mr Mandela in Johannesburg. |
However, he was invited to the podium to say the closing prayer at the event and scolded the unruly crowd for booing Mr Zuma. |