South Africa's 'conscience' Desmond Tutu steps down at 79
Archbishop Desmond Tutu has announced he will be stepping down from public life, as he celebrates his 79th birthday.
Tutu, a Nobel peace prize winner, was a prominent voice during the country’s struggle against white minority rule.
Described as the “conscience” of South Africa, he has also been the influence of reconciliation in a number of regional conflicts
However, Tutu now says he wants to make way for a new generation of leaders, and is bowing out of public life.
As a young cleric back in the 1970s, he was a vocal critic of the apartheid regime. While still under minority rule in the mid-1980s, he also campaigned in rural communities.
He went on to become the archbishop of Cape Town in 1986, and almost a decade later, chaired the Truth and Reconciliation commission, purposely set up to investigate apartheid-era crimes.
More recently, Tutu has been involved in conflict resolution and court controversy.
The Archbishop is a man widely considered as a moral compass in South Africa, admired for his integrity and adored for his infectious laugh.
He insists his departure aims to clear the way for new talent to blossom, but he remains a potent symbol of South African pride.
