The African National Congress (ANC) has joined millions across the world in commemorating the 108th birth anniversary of Isithwalandwe/Seaparankoe Oliver Reginald Tambo — the longest-serving president of the ANC and one of the key architects of South Africa’s liberation struggle.
A Wreath-Laying Ceremony was held at the OR Tambo Memorial Site in Wattville, followed by a Memorial Lecture delivered by Deputy President Paul Mashatile, reflecting on Tambo’s enduring legacy and moral leadership.
Born on 27 October 1917, President Tambo is remembered for embodying the ideals of integrity, humility, unity, and principled struggle. As leader of the ANC in exile, he turned hardship into opportunity — rallying the global community against apartheid and keeping the movement united during its most difficult years.
In its statement, the ANC described Tambo as a moral compass whose life “remains an enduring testament that revolutions are sustained by discipline, not slogans; by truth, not expediency.”
The party reaffirmed its commitment to unity, ideological clarity, and renewal, echoing Tambo’s warning that “a nation that does not care for its youth has no future, and a movement that forgets its moral compass loses its soul.”
The ANC called on South Africans, particularly the youth, to draw inspiration from Tambo’s values and continue the fight against poverty, inequality, and injustice.
Long live the revolutionary spirit of Oliver Reginald Tambo!