Oliver Tambo – His Life and Legacy: 1917–1993

About the Author Luli Callinicos was born in Johannesburg of Hellenic descent. She became involved in the struggle for democracy in South Africa at an early age and taught history in schools and the emerging trade union movement. In the late 1970s, she began writing her pioneering and award-winning trilogy Gold and Workers (1981), Working Life (1987) and A Place in the City (1993). Those volumes brought to the South African public, for the first time, the neglected history of ‘ordinary’ South Africans. Her popular book, The world that made Mandela (2000, STE Publishers), broke new ground in South African biography by identifying both the people and the places that shaped the life of a great man. That innovative method draws on her experience as a Council member of the South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) and her involvement in a number of heritage committees and advisory panels for the Department of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology. In both The world that made Mandela and Oliver Tambo: His Life and Legacy, Luli Callinicos’ command of social history is combined with her deep commitment to conserving the landscape of South Africa’s heritage and celebrating it with the world. Product Description An updated new edition of the original publication issued by the ANC Elections Committee to honour the legacy of Comrade Oliver Tambo, late president and national chairman of the African National Congress. This little book provides an overview of his life and generous contributions during the struggle for a new South Africa. Written in an engaging style by esteemed historian Luli Callinicos, this ‘mini-biography’ is accessible to all ages. Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. Oliver Tambo – His Life and Legacy: 1917–1993By Luli CallinicosReal African PublishersCopyright © 2019 Luli CallinicosAll rights reserved.ISBN: 978-1-928341-92-5CHAPTER 1OLIVER REGINALD TAMBO, leader of the African National Congress in exile for 30 years, died on 23 April 1993. Yet, his legacy lives on. Comrade O. R. left us a significant and enduring heritage: one that enhanced our new constitution, contributed to the inclusive and equitable policies of our democratically elected government, and affirmed the abiding vision of the ANC itself.The African National Congress has produced leaders of the highest calibre, but Oliver Tambo, thoughtful, wise and warm-hearted, was perhaps the most loved. His simplicity, his nurturing style, and his genuine respect for all people seemed to bring out the best in them. Comrade O. R.'s life was remarkable for the profound influence he had on the ANC during the difficult years of uncertainty, loneliness and homesickness in exile. During his 50 years of political activity in the ANC, Comrade O. R. (as he affectionately came to be known) played a significant role in every key moment in the history of the movement, until his death. Oliver Tambo was a founder member and secretary of the ANC Youth League in 1944, the general secretary of the ANC from 1952, and was elected deputy president of the ANC in 1959. He was formally mandated by the ANC to be the leader of its Mission in Exile in 1960 and formally became the president of the ANC from 1977 until 1990. Then, on his return to South Africa, he was elected as national chairperson, a new position created specially for him, until his death in 1993.What shaped the life of Oliver Tambo? What values and life skills enabled him to make such an important and enduring impact on the history of the African National Congress and on our new, democratic South Africa? Two major processes in Comrade O. R.'s early life moulded his style in politics and leadership – his traditional rural roots and the expertise he acquired through education. Each experience was different, yet, O. R. combined them creatively to develop an approach that was able to reach and empower a broad mass of the people, both nationally and internationally.One an early s