Oliver Reginald Tambo was born on October 27, 1917, in the village of Kantolo, near Mbizana (now in the Eastern Cape). He attended mission schools run by the Anglican and Methodist churches. Of modest farming origins, he earned a scholarship to attend the University of Fort Hare, the only university open to Black citizens in the country, where he studied education and science. He received his bachelor’s degree in 1941 and later studied law.
In 1944 with Nelson Mandela and others, he cofounded the ANC Youth League, which revitalized the ANC after a moribund period. After briefly teaching mathematics and science in Johannesburg, Tambo began engaging wholly in nationalist politics and legal cases, rising concurrently in the ranks of the ANC. In 1952 he joined with Mandela to establish South Africa’s first black law practice. Tambo was arrested on treason charges in 1956 but was released the following year. In 1958 he became ANC deputy president.
The unbanning of the ANC by Pres. F.W. de Klerk in February 1990 brought about many changes for Tambo, the party, and the country. Tambo returned to South Africa from exile on December 13, 1990, to attend the first full-scale conference of ANC members (including exiles and the formerly imprisoned) in more than 30 years. He also participated in negotiations for the country’s new democratic constitution.
However, because of ill health as the result of an earlier stroke, Tambo yielded the ANC presidency in 1991 to his old colleague Mandela and took the largely honorary post of national chairman of the ANC. The ANC’s 1994 election victory is attributable as much to the work of Tambo as it is to that of Mandela. He died in Johannesburg on April 24, 1993.
Quotes from Oliver Tambo
- “We seek to create a united Democratic and non-racial society. We have a vision of South Africa in which black and white shall live and work together as equals in conditions of peace and prosperity. Using the power you derive from the discovery of the truth about racism in South Africa, you will help us to remake our part of the world into a corner of the globe on which all — of which all of humanity can be proud.” – A quote from Tambo speaking at Georgetown University on January 27, 1987.
- “Racial discrimination, South Africa’s economic power, its oppression and exploitation of all the black peoples, are part and parcel of the same thing.”
- “Beware the wedge driver. Watch his poisonous tongue”
- “It would be wrong to say there has been no cause for criticism directed at the way certain sectors, levels and contingents of our broad movement were carrying on—on the other hand we have had a series of representative meetings or conferences in which there was frank criticism or self-criticism.”
- “The world public, in general, assumed that NR [Nelson Rolhlahla] was the president and we found it unnecessary to correct the impression, because we always made it clear that our national leaders (mine included) are on Robben Island, serving life imprisonment”
- “The apartheid enemy tries to separate us into ancient ‘tribal’ entities and pretends to be concerned about the preservation of our cultural heritage.”
- “In all our localities, wherever they may be, we must rise now and destroy apartheid organs of government that are used to hold us in bondage. We make this call o all Black people – African, Indian and so-called Coloureds.”
- “The order of the day to all units of Umkhonto we Sizwe is that they must strengthen links with the people.”
- “Make apartheid unworkable. Make South Africa ungovernable. Prepare the conditions for the seizure of power by the people.”
- “I had other plans for my life. I wanted to be a minister of the Anglican church with Bishop Clayton. After we married, I was going to train for the ministry in Cape Town. But God had other plans for me. Gods plan was for me to fight in the political liberation for my people.”
