Archbishop Desmond Tutu casts his vote at home

SOUTH AFRICA – Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu cast his special vote in Cape Town on Monday morning.

Tutu, 87, is in fragile health and took part in South Africa’s special voting for the elderly and infirm where electoral officials go to their homes or care facilities before the actual voting day of May 8.

Using a walking stick and smiling, Tutu came out of his home in Cape Town’s Milnerton area with voting officials and waved to the press who had gathered. He did not speak but blew a kiss to the press.

Tutu is one of South Africa’s most well-known human rights activists, winning the 1984 Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts in resolving and ending apartheid. Born in 1931 in Klerksdorp, Transvaal, South Africa, he became the first Black Anglican Archbishop of both Cape Town and Johannesburg. 

At least 774 000 people applied to take part in the special voting on May 6 and 7 with more than 452 000 voting through a home visit by election officials and more than 321 000 casting their votes at their voting stations.