Mural of South Africa’s Desmond Tutu is fixed for his 90th

By ANDREW MELDRUM
Associated Press

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — South African anti-apartheid icon Archbishop Desmond Tutu is marking his 90th birthday. A portrait of him recently defaced by racist graffiti has been restored by the artist who added a celebratory message. It reads “Happy Birthday Tata Desmond Tutu! Father of the Rainbow Nation.” Tata is the Xhosa word for father and it was added to the large mural of Tutu by artist Brian Rolfe. He used the space where the graffiti had been to add the birthday message. Rolfe originally painted the landmark mural in downtown Cape Town in 2017. The mural enlivens a wall of the Rainbow Academy which offers training to young artists from disadvantaged communities. Tutu has attended a service on his birthday Thursday at St. George’s Cathedral.