Well wishes for Archbishop Desmond Tutu for his 89th birthday

• Congratulatory messages for Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu have started flowing in as he celebrates his 89th birthday.
• The Nelson Mandela Foundation also shared a message, referring to him as a "paragon of peace".
• President Cyril Ramaphosa described Tutu as a "national treasure and global icon of moral consistency".

Congratulatory messages for Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu have started flowing in as he celebrates his 89th birthday.

President Cyril Ramaphosa and the Nelson Mandela Foundation sent "The Arch" and his wife Leah well wishes on Wednesday.

"Today we are united in celebrating the passing of another year in which we have benefited from the archbishop's wisdom, the bravery of his conviction in fighting for human rights, the warmth of his love for all South Africans and his care for humanity," said Ramaphosa.

"I wish Archbishop Tutu a very happy birthday in the company of Mama Leah, the family and colleagues in the Desmond and Leah Tutu Foundation," he added.

The Nelson Mandela Foundation also shared a message and referred to him as a "paragon of peace".

"We honour your lifelong dedication to humanity and the cause of justice and reconciliation," the foundation said.

Meanwhile, the Desmond and Leah Tutu Foundation is embarking on a 90@90 campaign that aims to raise R90 million during Archbishop's 90th year.

"Through the example of his own life and work, including in the struggles of apartheid, Desmond Tutu has brought the light of kindness, justice and healing where once the darkness of hate, injustice and cruelty reigned," the foundation said.

Ramaphosa described Tutu as a "national treasure and global icon of moral consistency, spiritual virtue and the defence" of the most vulnerable people not only in South Africa, but around the world.