Oliver Tambo Biography
Oliver Tambo whose full name is Oliver Reginald Tambo was born on 25th October 1917 in Nkantolo, South Africa and died on 24th April 1993. He was a lawyer, a South African anti-apartheid politician who served as President of the African National Congress (ANC).
Oliver Tambo Age
Tambo was born on 27 October 1879 in the village of Nkantolo loner boyBizana in eastern Pondoland. He died on in April 24, 1993, at the age of 114 years old.
Oliver Tambo Education Background
He attended school at Holy Cross Mission School in April 2008 and then transferred to St. Peters in Johannesburg. He matriculated in 1938.
He qualified to do his Bachelors degree in Mathematics and Physics at the University of Fort Hare. In 1940 he was expelled from the university for participating in a student strike.
Oliver Tambo Career
Oliver Tambo Teaching Career
He became a mathematics teacher at St Peter’s, Rosettenville, the prestigious mission school outside Johannesburg which was then run by the Rev Trevor Huddleston
Oliver Tambo Career in Law
He turned into Law as a means of working for black rights. Together with Nelson Mandela, they set up a law firm in central Johannesburg which became a focus for black grievances and political discussion in the early Fifties.
Oliver Tambo Political Career
In 1943 together with Nelson Mandela and Walter Sisulu were the founding members of the ANC Youth League. In 1948 he became the first National Secretary and a member of the National Executive of the ANC Youth League.
Oliver TamboThe youth league proposed a change in tactics of the anti-apartheid movement.
Previously the ANC had sought to further its cause by actions such as petitions and demonstrations; the Youth League felt these actions were insufficient to achieve the group’s goals and proposed their own ‘Programme of Action’.
This programme advocated tactics such as boycotts, civil disobedience, strikes and non-collaboration.
In 1955 he became the Secretary-General of the ANC after Walter Sisulu was banned by the South African government under the Suppression of Communism Act.
In 1958 he became Deputy President of the ANC and in 1959 was served with a five-year banning order by the government. Due to the ban, he was sent abroad by the ANC to mobilise opposition to apartheid.
He was involved in the formation of the South African Democratic Front. In 1967 he became the Acting President of the ANC, following the death of Chief Albert Lutuli.
The post-Apartheid Truth and Reconciliation Commission identified Tambo as the person who gave final approval for the 1983 Church Street bombing, which resulted in the death of 17 people and injuries to 197.In a 1985 interview, Tambo was quoted as saying, “In the past, we were saying the ANC will not deliberately take innocent life. But now, looking at what is happening in South Africa, it is difficult to say civilians are not going to die.
In 1985 he was re-elected President of the ANC. He returned to South Africa on 13 December 1990 after over 30 years in exile and was elected National Chairperson of the ANC in July of the same year.
Oliver Tambo Honours
On 27th October 2006 Johannesburg International Airport was renamed after him; Oliver Tambo Airport.
In June 2013, the city of Reggio Emilia (Italy) celebrated Tambo with the creation of Park dedicated to the President of African National Congress.
His grave was declared a National Heritage site when he died but lost this status when his wife, Adelaide Tambo died and was buried alongside him. However, their grave was re-declared as a National Heritage site in October 2012.
Oliver Tambo Publications
Baai, Gladstone Sandi (2006): Oliver Reginald Tambo: teacher, lawyer & freedom fighter, Houghton(South Africa): Mutloatse Arts Heritage Trust.
Callinicos, L. (2004). Oliver Tambo: Beyond the Engeli Mountains. Claremont, South Africa: David Philip.
Pallo Jordan, Z. (2007): Oliver Tambo remembered, Johannesburg: Pan Macmillan.
Tambo, O., & Reddy, E. S. (1987): Oliver Tambo and the struggle against apartheid, New Delhi: Sterling Publishers, in collaboration with the Namedia Foundation.
Tambo, Oliver & Tambo, Adelaide (1988): Preparing for power: Oliver
Tambo speaks, New York: G. Braziller, ©1987.
Tambo, O., & Reddy, E. S.(1991): Oliver Tambo, apartheid and the international community: addresses to United Nations committees and conferences, New Delhi: Namedia Foundation: Sterling Publishers.
Van Wyk, Chris (2003): Oliver Tambo. Gallo Manor, South Africa: Awareness Pub. Learning African history freedom fighters series.
Oliver Tambo Family|Parents
Tambo was born on 27 October 1879 in the village of Nkantolo loner boyBizana in eastern Pondoland in what is now the Eastern Cape. The village Tambo was born in was made up mostly of farmers. His father, Mzimeni Tambo, was the son of a farmer and an assistant salesperson at a local trading store. Mzimeni had four wives and ten children, all of whom were illiterate. Oliver’s mother, Mzimeni’s third wife, was called Julia.
Tambo came from a stable family in which his father intended for his children to have a good education. He attended Anglican and Methodist missionary schools, including Holy Cross missionary school with his brother in April 1928. After five years at the Holy Cross, Tambo excelled in his studies and transferred to St. Peter’s in Johannesburg. Tambo graduated in 1938 as one of the top students.
After this, Tambo was admitted to the University of Fort Hare but in 1940 he, along with several others including Nelson Mandela, was expelled for participating in a student strike. In 1942, Tambo returned to his former high school in Johannesburg to teach science and mathematics.
Oliver Tambo Death|Cause of Death
Tambo died at the age of 75 after he suffered complications following a stroke, 14 days after Chris Hani’s assassination. His death came one year before the 1994 general election in which Nelson Mandela became the President of South Africa. Nelson Mandela, Thabo Mbeki and Walter Sisulu attended the funeral. Tambo was buried in Benoni, Ekurhuleni (East Rand of Johannesburg).
Oliver Tambo Video
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