“We are honouring you, Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, for your role in attaining our freedom and along with Mama Leah, for being a beacon of hope and a light that illuminated with compassion through the dark days of our unjust past.
As a leader in our faith community, the Arch continues to speak truth to power before and after our liberation.
He remains a leading light advocating for peace, equality and reconciliation.
We are truly blessed to have the Arch as a son of Cape Town and to honour him and Mama Leah within their lifetime as we did with the father of our nation, Nelson Mandela.
On behalf of the people of Cape Town, I want to thank you and Mama Leah for your contribution to our city and our country.
Arch for the Arch must be a constant reminder to uphold the values in our Constitution
This installation we are unveiling today will be a reminder to us about your legacy and values for decades to come.
I was fortunate to be one of the members of the Constitutional Assembly that wrote the final Constitution.
Today our Constitution is under threat. Our Constitution is more democratic than some of its drafters.
When we wrote the Constitution and assigned powers to the President, we had leaders like Mandela in mind and unfortunately today we have a rogue president abusing those powers.
The Arch for the Arch, representing the 14 chapters of our Constitution, must be a constant reminder to all of us about where we come from and to uphold the values contained therein.
The Arch personifies the values of our Constitution and his wisdom and moral guidance continues to inspire us and will do so for generations to come.
Arch for the Arch
Thank you to the team involved in bringing this tribute to life.
May all who walk past it be remindedthat as South Africans, it is all of our duty to work in unity for the greater good and build the country that our beloved Tata Madiba, Robert Sobukwe, Steve Biko, the Arch and many others fought for in the struggle for freedom and democracy.
Arch and Mama Leah, once again thank you for all you have done for us and for all you continue to do.
WHERE: The structure has been positioned between St George’s Cathedral and Parliament, corner of Wale and Adderley streets, Cape Town 8001
