Oliver tambo biography pdf

Although Mzimeni Tambo was a traditionalist, he also saw the value of western education. Working in the trading store for many years, Mzimeni had been impressed by two aspects of the white trader: that his learning enabled him to run an independent business and keep its books; and that his relative wealth gave him power and status.

As Comrade O. On his first day, young Kaizana was asked to come to school with a new, 'English' name. After his mother and father discussed it at length that evening, the little boy took his new name to his teacher.

The schoolteacher turned out to be very strict, and would beat the children for the slightest offences. Oliver began to dread school, and would find any excuse not to take the long ten-mile walk to school. Mzimena was so determined that his children should persevere that he moved the children several times to other schools. As he grew older, Oliver began to want to leave home. One day, when Oliver was about eleven years old, he met a lad who was in the debating society of another school.

He and his friends were deeply impressed with the ease with which this youngster spoke English. That experience changed Oliver's attitude to education.

He had discovered in himself a love of discussion and debate, and English seemed to be the key to skills, independence and power. Not long afterwards, Oliver was given the opportunity, through a family friend, to enrol at the missionary school at Flagstaff, called Holy Cross.

By this time, Oliver's father did not have money to pay the fees. But Oliver was so anxious to stay, that the school itself managed to find two kind English sisters who sent the sum of ten pounds a year for Oliver's schooling. His older brother, working as a migrant in faraway KwaZulu-Natal, also sent an additional amount from his hard-earned wages to make up the shortfall in the fees.

They intervened tirelessly to save the careers of two unknown youngsters who but for their intervention, might have bad to say goodbye to Holy Cross and goodbye to education as well as goodbye to a future of possible usefulness to humanity They bad stretched a couple of bands across the lands and oceans to the south of the continent of Africa to give aid and support to two unknown children.

Two unknown African children. Oliver finished his schooling at St Peter's in Johannesburg, a school which exposed him for the first time to boys from other provinces, who spoke other African languages, and also to fast-talking city youngsters. For the first time, in the streets of Johannesburg, he was exposed to race prejudice and segregation but city life was to be his future. Within a year, first his mother and then his father passed away - at the age of sixteen, he was orphaned.

His parents did not live to delight in their son gaining top marks in matric. In those days all scholars in the Transvaal, black and white, wrote the same examination. The black press reported the achievement with great pride that this excellent scholar was from the Transkei, the eastern Cape assembly of chiefs, the Bhunga, granted Oliver a bursary of 30 pounds a year to study at Fort Hare. Oliver decided to study science. There was an imbalance, he decided, in the black professions there were too many B.

Ideally, he had wanted to study medicine; but at the time no university would accept black students. Three years later, Oliver Tambo graduated with a B. The following year he enrolled for a diploma in higher education. He was deeply religious, yet he was also an intellectual. His future friend, partner and comrade, Nelson Mandela, recalled his first impressions of Oliver:. Oliver was elected chairperson of the students' representative council of his Anglican residence, Beda Hall. But before his last year at Fort Hare was through, he was expelled for organising a student protest on a point of principle.

He then left the university and went home to Kantolo, planning to look for a job - any job, for he had the younger members of the homestead to support. But the news of his expulsion reached his old school, St Peter's. They immediately offered him a post as Maths, master.

Once again, Oliver was in Johannesburg, and once again, he was in the news amongst the black community. In downtown Johannesburg near Diagonal Street was an estate agent called Walter Sisulu with an office, which attracted the young black elite - the teachers, lawyers, journalists and intellectuals who loved a good discussion on politics and life.

Sisulu was keen to meet Tambo, and in due course, friends brought the brilliant scholar around. Tambo at once took to the slightly older man, who had not had much formal higher education, but was seasoned in the hard knocks of city life and had acquired a wealth of wisdom and political insights.

Sisulu was interested in marshalling the abilities of the young people who came to his office in the service of their community. Nevertheless, they agreed, the ANC was the organisation with a long tradition and my honourable nationalist vision, which they felt they could work with. The group decided on a plan of action to revive Congress. Meeting regularly at the Bantu Men's Social Centre, they decided to put a resolution to the next annual congress.

Anton Lembede was elected chairman, Oliver ambo secretary and Walter Sisulu treasurer of the new organisation. The Youth League undertook to provide a three-year programme to mobilise the ordinary black people of South Africa. In the meantime, Tambo was making an enduring impact on his students at St Peters. Dozens of his students remembered his distinctive, interactive and encouraging style of teaching, using methods, which were well ahead of their time.

After hours, he introduced the concepts of the Youth League to his senior students. Some of them went on to join the movement and become prominent comrades. In , the National Party was voted into power by the white electorate. They immediately set about extending and introducing a host of racially discriminating laws. The existing pass laws were tightened up to control labour and the movement of black people. These laws needed to be challenged and resisted.

After serving his articles he qualified, then in joined Nelson Mandela to start an immensely successful firm of attorneys, dedicated to assisting black people against the oppressive apartheid legislation. Chief Albert Luthuli was elected President thousands of people. It also resulted in a spate of banning orders for its leaders. After Walter Sisulu was banned, Oliver Tambo became national secretary. He and Chief Lutuli, highly respected for his refusal to be 'bought off as a chief by the apartheid regime, worked together on the ANC's programme of mass campaigns and policy during the remainder of the decade.

The ANC is the parliament of the people', Luthuli declared. In , the Congress of the People presented to the nation the Freedom Charter, which reflected the grass roots demands of a democratic South Africa. But after the preliminary hearings, O. In the meantime, with the bulk of the ANC leadership still on trial, Tambo and Luthuli had to continue to lead the struggle. During this period O. There were some Africanists, within the ANC though, who had a problem with this broader all-encompassing definition of the nation.

They felt that the 'non-African' organisations might easily come to dominate the ANC. Eventually, after a noisy confrontation at a regional meeting in , chaired by Oliver Tambo; they broke away to form the Pan Africanist Congress. The wedding date, set for December , was nearly derailed, as the bridegroom was arrested for High Treason. Fortunately, all the accused were granted bail, and the marriage took place, followed by a joyous wedding reception - for who knew what the future might bring!

Adelaide Tambo became the breadwinner, working double shifts to provide for their children, Thembi, Dali andTselane. In , he was unanimously elected chairperson of the Students' Committee of his residence, Beda Hall. After three years, Tambo graduated with a B. He then enrolled for a diploma in higher education. During this period Tambo led an initiative for students to rebuild a disused tennis court on the campus in order to pass the time on Sundays.

When the tennis court was completed, the students scheduled an opening ceremony, which Tambo reported to the warden.

The authorities declined permission for the students to play tennis on Sundays, as they believed it was a breach of the faith. The students then embarked on a policy of non-cooperation with the university authorities. As a consequence, Tambo, who at the time was secretary of the Students Representative Council, together 45 other students, was expelled. All but 10 of them were readmitted after two or three weeks.

After his expulsion, Tambo went back to his home in Kantolo. He then applied for teaching jobs but was turned down when prospective employers learnt that he was expelled from university. Fortunately, he was offered a position as a teacher in physics and mathematics at his alma mater, St Peter's, where he spent five years.

Former students taught by him recalled his engaging style of teaching and consider him an outstanding teacher. During this period Tambo became part of a small network of the young African elite in Johannesburg.

In , he met Walter Sisulu , an estate agent whose office was used as a regular gathering place by young intellectuals. Sisulu invited Tambo to his house where he was soon a regular guest on weekends. Here they formulated a plan to revive the ANC and make it more accessible to ordinary people.

Tambo became informally involved in discussions of a committee of ANC members and Xuma was responsible for drawing up a document called the African Claims in South Africa. He continued to do so until the final stages of its preparations. The ANC adopted this document at its Bloemfontein conference. In , the National Party NP came into power. Discriminatory laws against Africans, Indian and coloureds were increased and apartheid was further entrenched.

Around this time, Tambo enrolled to study law through correspondence. However, Dr Xuma was not in favour of confrontational politics. He was duly elected and the conference formally adopted the Programme of Action. At the end of , Tuch and Tambo joined the company of Solomon Kowalsky.

One of his first cases at this company was a dispute among the Bafokeng people over land rights in Rustenburg, Western Transvaal now North West Province. His sound knowledge of customary law helped, successfully, to conclude the case. At the same time he enrolled and studied by correspondence through the University of South Africa, studying by candle light at home.

On 24 July , Tambo qualified as an attorney. Mandela, by now also a qualified lawyer, had previously approached him to join in a partnership.

As the firm became well known, people travelled long distances from around the country to seek its services. When Mandela was banned in , Tambo had to carry the workload on his own. When the campaign was called off, the ANC called a meeting of White activists.

Tambo, Sisulu and Bram Fischer were the speakers at this meeting. Tambo carefully explained the aims of the Campaign and how Africans, Coloureds and Indians had responded to it. The audience was moved by his speech and shortly after this the Congress of Democrats COD was formed, in , with Fischer as chairperson.

Tambo spoke to Collins about his hopes of becoming an ordained minister of the church. This dream was not realised as Father Huddleston, whom Tambo had considered his spiritual mentor, was recalled to England in That same year Tambo received a banning order from the State. However, he remained actively involved in the background working as a member of the National Action Committee which drafted the Freedom Charter , following extensive nationwide input and consultation.

Their wedding was set for 22 December, , but it was nearly put off as Tambo was detained on treason charges on 5 December After all the accused were granted bail, the wedding took place as scheduled. After the preliminary hearings Tambo and Chief Albert Luthuli were acquitted. As early as April , Tambo had confided in Adelaide that the ANC had wanted him together with the family to go into exile.

By now the couple had three children, Thembi, Dali and Tselane. A group of former ANC members, known as the Africanists, attempted to disrupt the meeting but Tambo was able to control the meeting leading them to eventually leave.

Nelson Mandela was the first Black president of South Africa, elected after time in prison for his anti-apartheid work. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in Winnie Mandela was the controversial wife of Nelson Mandela who spent her life in varying governmental roles. Nobel Peace Prize award-winner Desmond Tutu was a renowned South African Anglican cleric known for his staunch opposition to the policies of apartheid.

Hiram R. Oliver Tambo was the acting president of the African National Congress, the South African anti-apartheid political party. Tambo served primarily in exile.

Willow Smith —. Lil Nas X —. Johannesburg OR Tambo International Airport is the busiest airport on the continent of Africa and is situated in the Kempton Park district of Johannesburg, 23 km north-west of the city centre and 46 km south of Pretoria city centre. Read an Excerpt. Comrade O. Get flight ticket prices from all OR Tambo International Airport airlines to get the cheapest flights available.

Weekly average number of operating airlines, destinations and flights every week. Take a look through our photo library, read reviews from real guests and book now with our Price Guarantee. Click Download or Read Online button to get oliver tambo book now.

This site is like a library, Use search box in the widget to get ebook that you want. It is an honour and a privilege to write this brief preface to a book of historic significance. For it is quite certain that when the full story of the liberation struggle in South Africa comes to be written the name of Oliver Tambo will be joined with that of his friend and partner, Nelson Mandela, as deserving of the highest Size: KB. Tambo had a profound influence on the ANC during the difficult years of uncertainty, loneliness and homesickness in exile.