Oliver Reginald Kaizana Tambo
Biography of Oliver Reginald Kaizana Tambo (OR Tambo)
Identity Details:
1st Famous Name: Oliver Tambo.
2nd Famous Name: OR Tambo (Oliver Reginald Tambo)
Full True Names: Oliver Reginald Kaizana Tambo.
Tambo Surname origin: Mpondo people (ama Mpondo), Near the Mthatha River.
Date of Birth: 27 October 1917
Place of Birth: In the village of Nkantolo in Bizana; in the Eastern Cape.
Province of Birth: Eastern Cape
Died On: 24 April 1993 (aged 75)
Place of Death: Johannesburg, South Africa
Nationality: South African
Height: +1.3m
Weight: +50kg
Gender: Male
https://www.aamarchives.org/images/Education/Tambo%20exhibition.pdf
Home Family Details:
Father’s Name: Mzimeni Tambo
Father’s Details: Had 4 Wives, 10 Children all Children were Educated
Mother’s Name: Julia Tambo
Father and Mother Married: Yes (She was the 3rd Wife)
Siblings: 9
Personal Family Details:
Spouse (Wife): Adelaide Frances Tambo
Spouse (Wife) Date of Birth: 18 July 1929
Married Together in Year: 1956
Children: Dali Tambo (son), Tselane Tambo (daughter), Thembi Tambo (daughter), Oliver Jnr
Grand Children: Ayabulela Tambo (granddaughter)
A. View 2 Videos below about OR Tambo.
On the LEFT: This Video shows us the Efforts taken by Oliver Tambo. His Life, Education and his Dedication to making South Africa a Democratic Country.
On the RIGHT: OR Tambo explains his Personal Experience with the Apartheid Government how he was Assulted, Arrested Multiple Times even on the day before his Wedding Day ( Scroll to (4:35/23:53) 4 Minutes & 35 Seconds on this Video you will see and Hear for yourself)
- Title: The life and times of OR Tambo
- Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtSc4eXzD0I
-Title: South Africa | African National Congress | Oliver Tambo interview | A Plus 4| 1985
- Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDWdWVgTLu4&t=124s
B. 2 Videos Showing OR Tambo Gathering Support
On the LEFT: OR Tambo being interviewed in Zambia in around 1979.
On the RIGHT: OR Tambo being interviewed in Geneva in around 1986.
- Title: (2 Jul 1979) South African anti-apartheid fighter Oliver Tambo speaking at a press conference in Lusaka, Zambia
- Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxklDrkNQQA-
- This Video show that Freedom Fighters also went within Africa to gather Support.
- It also Proves that Some African Countries did offer refuge and Support to the Struggle against Apartheid.
- Title: ABC News Nightline- June 19, 1986 (most)
- Link: https://www.amazon.com/Vintage-photo-Portrait-Oliver-Tambo/dp/B01KEPFJ9W
- On this Video South Africa was reported as being in a State of emergency in about 1986.
- OR Tambo interviewed in Geneva, asking the World to Start blocking Trade
with the South African Apartheid Government.
- This move by the ANC was known as the Economic Warfare.
C. OR Tambo supporting a Positive, Possible Future, For All.
On the LEFT: OR Tambo Gives a Speech addressing the USA Government & also the American People.
On RIGHT: OR Tambo explaining the Future & the Challenges of the Killings that are taking place & had also took place during 1976 Student Uprising.
- Title: Oliver Tambo speech at the National Press Club - 28 January 1987
- Link: https://youtu.be/umScRCjRZNo
- This Video shows Mr. Oliver Tambo (OR Tambo) visiting the USA Government, his Speech was broadcasted Nationwide in the USA.
-> Mr. Nelson Mandela wrote a letter, while he was still in Prison, Serving a Life Sentence for Treason.
- This Letter explains that he supports Oliver Tambo & that they share the same ideals in life.
- A Senate member reported that the meeting between the USA Secretary of States & the ANC Leadership, , should be used to pressure them to stop being Terrorists in South Africa {View & Listen from this time on Video: 4:46/1:07:43}.
- On the Other Hand, OR Tambo focused on assuring USA that, Freedom Fighters are aiming to build a future in which all people will have equal Human rights and Freedom.
- Title: MYANCTV The legacy of Oliver Reginald Tambo
- Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AS_IdUYdFN0&list=PLyMpDM4zGjWf_2n0NaDj6nAD4kmb5Sjkq&index=8&t=3s
- OR said that South Africa will be Transformed to be Country of all Races and Creeds and that is Inescapable.
- OR Tambo explains that after 1976 Student uprising, they noticed that they were not prepared enough to can respond to the brutality of the Apartheid Government.
- He says that after the 1976 Student uprising, 100’s of young People came forward to the MK willing to undergo Military Training.
- Some of the People were too young to can undergo Military Training so they were then put on Academic Training (Educational School) and then, the Solomon Mahlangu Freedom College was established.
D. From a Child, To being a Freedom Fighter.
- Title: OR Tambo studied at St Peters Secondary School
- Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_D6ov2vrJGM&list=PLyMpDM4zGjWf_2n0NaDj6nAD4kmb5Sjkq&index=7&t=23s
This Video explains OR Tambo’s Educational journey from Primary School in the Eastern Cape, To attending a Multi Racial School called St. Peters Secondary School in Rossetenville, in the Johannesburg area (Today i tis called St Martins). How he Attended University at: Fort Hare, in the Eastern Cape
How he then Joined the Struggle against the Oppression of None White People in South Africa.
On this Photo Oliver Tambo is with the ANC President Albert Luthuli.
Education
Tertiary Education:
Type of Schools: Methodist Missionary School and Anglican Schools
Name of Institution: University of Fort Hare
Located in the : Eastern Cape Province
Admitted in year: 1938
1st Course Attended: Bachelor of Science
2nd Course Attended: Post Degree in Teaching
Expelled in year: 1940
Expelled for: Participating & Organizing a student strike, together with Nelson Mandela and other Students.
https://www.aamarchives.org/images/Education/Tambo%20exhibition.pdf
Primary, Secondary Education:
Type of Schools: Methodist Missionary School and Anglican Schools
Year Period: 1920's
Attended Secondary School at: St. Peters Secondary School (after being awarded with a scholarship).
Started attending this School in : 1934
School Area Name: Rossetenville
Area: Johannesburg
Country: South Africa
School For: Mix Race School (Multi racial School), having different races like Black Africans, Indians and Colored’s.
Starting Grade included: Standard 7
Gender: It seems like it was a School for native boys
Graduated: 1938
Careers
https://za.pinterest.com/diannepinkston/african-leader-oliver-tambo/
Career in Education:
Type of Schools: Methodist Missionary
Practicing as: An Educational Teacher
Level of Practice: High School Teacher
Started Teaching in the Year: 1942
Stopped Teaching in the Year: 1947
Teacher For: Mathematics and Physical Science (at St. Peters Secondary School (St. Martins School ), this is where he also did his own Secondary School in Johannesburg, after being awarded with a Scholarship).
Country: South Africa
School Area Name: Rossetenville
Area: Johannesburg
After Teaching his Classes, after School he started introducing the Concept of ANC Youth League to his students.
One of his Students that he influenced was Mr Andrew Mlangeni, who was influenced by him to a point that he joined the Struggle against Apartheid and a few Years later he was Arrested and was part of the Famous Rivonia Trial group.
On this Photo we see Mr. Albert Lithuli together with Mr. OR Tambo
https://www.aamarchives.org/images/Education/Tambo%20exhibition.pdf
Career in Law:
Practicing as: An Attorney, as a Lawyer
Level of Practice: Lawyer
Gave up Teaching to Study Law in: 1948
Qualified in Year: 1952
On This Photo we see both Mr Nelson Mandela and Mr OR Tambo, both Practising Law together in their Law Firm Office.
Oliver Tambo’s Career in Politics:
At the Beginning:
Oliver Tambo, started as an active Human Rights Person, Standing up against the Oppression of None White People within South Africa.
Segregation had already Started by the 1940’s Government. Even before the Apartheid Government had been Officially ruling in 1948.
Mr. Tambo slowly joined & fought against oppression and he ended up in Politics to can Stand up against the oppression of All Oppressed People, who were mostly none White People within South Africa at around that particular time.
In 1943:
Oliver Tambo Cofounded the ANC Youth League, together with Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu and others.
In 1948:
The Apartheid Government was made Legal and it Officially Started Ruling South Africa in 1948.
On that very same Year in 1948, Oliver Tambo became the first National Secretary and a member of the National Executive of the ANC Youth League.
This ANC Youth League proposed changing the approach of standing up against the Apartheid Government by improving the strategy that was used then by the ANC against that Government.
Previously, the ANC strategy was to do petitions and peaceful demonstrations against this Apartheid government, but then the ANC Youth League felt that those actions were insufficient and fell too short in achieving the ANC’s goals of ending the Oppression.
This ANC Youth League then proposed to start their own "Programme of Action".
This "Programme of Action" added extra tactics such as Boycotts, Civil Disobedience, Strikes, and Non-Collaboration.
In 1958:
Mr. Oliver Tambo (OR Tambo) was made Deputy President of the ANC.
In 1959 the Apartheid Government Banned Mr. Oliver Tambo (OR Tambo) for a period of 5 years.
In 1960:
The Apartheid Government shot and Killed People during a Protest match which today is known as the Sharpeville Massacre.
After this Sharpeville Massacre, it was noticed that the Apartheid government was now aiming to Ban Liberation Movements, their Leaders and Organizations.
They also noticed that the Government also wanted to Arrest their Leaders and other Struggle leading people and then charge them with Treason.
It was then decided that some leaders like Mr. Oliver Tambo (OR Tambo), should leave South Africa and go to exile.
To continue fighting the struggle overseas without the Constant threat of being easily arrested by the South African apartheid government and its army and Police.
Mr. Oliver Tambo went to England and settled in London
Being in exile in England was a difficult time for him as he did not see his wife and their 3 Children for many years.
In 1967:
On 21 July 1967 Chief Albert Lutuli, passed away.
When Chief Albert Lutuli passed away, he was then the President of the ANC.
He passed away at the age of 69 Years old.
After Chief Albert Lutuli passed away, Mr. Oliver Tambo (OR Tambo) was made the President of the ANC.
In 1985:
Mr. Oliver Tambo (OR Tambo) was interviewed on TV.
During this TV interview he was Appealing to England to put Economic Sanctions against the South African Apartheid government.
He said that South Africa Apartheid government was growing in Power because of the British investment.
He Seemed to have been interviewed by Gill Nevil on A Plus 4 TV Channel at around 04 November 1985.
In 1987:
On 28 January 1987, Mr. Oliver Tambo (OR Tambo) was invited to give his Speech to Explain to the USA Nation about the ANC and its Current and future goals.
This Video shows Mr Oliver Tambo (OR Tambo) visiting the USA Government, his Speech in the USA was broadcasted Nationwide in the USA by the National Press Club.
A Senate member reported that the meeting between the USA Secretary of States and the ANC Leadership, should be used to pressure
Mr. Oliver Tambo (OR Tambo) and the ANC, to stop being Terrorists in South Africa and to the South African Government.
While on the other hand, Mr. Oliver Tambo's aim was to assure the USA Government that they are not Terrorists and that they needed positive support from the USA Government and its People.
In 1989:
Mr. Oliver Tambo (OR Tambo) suffered a Stroke.
There was a point where he was using a Crutch to can walk that is how severe the Stroke was, but his Movement improved with time.
In 1990:
By this Year, the ANC was unbanned by the Apartheid Government
On 13 December 1990, Mr Oliver Tambo (OR Tambo) returned back to South Africa
He Returned back after spending 30 Years in exile.
He was in Exile ever since 1960
In 1991:
Mr. Oliver Tambo (OR Tambo) stepped down as the President of the ANC.
Then Mr Nelson Mandela was voted in, as the new President of the ANC.
https://www.dispatchlive.co.za/news/opinion/2017-01-27-tambos-memory-must-prick-consciences/
In 1993:
On 24th of April 1993, Mr. Oliver Tambo (OR Tambo), sadly died.
He passed away at the age of 75 Years old.
His death was rumored to be as a result of the Stroke that he suffered in 1989.
In 1994, the 24th of April (on OR Tambo’s death date), it was made to be the day in which all South Africans, including the Oppressed Black South Africans, were allowed to have the Human right to can Democratically participate during the 1994 National Government Elections.
Most people in South Africa at that time Voted for the ANC,
The South African Nation was still Mourning the Death of 2 of their Struggle Icons Mr. Chris Hani and Mr. Oliver Tambo.
Who both died in the same Month of April 1993, just weeks apart, because Mr. Chris Hani was Assassinated on : 10 April 1993.
Today in South Africa, the 24th of April of each year is known as Heritage day, which is a National Public Holiday.