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ADELAIDE TAMBO

This book is the result of the persistent pleas of many friends in the struggle against apartheid who have urged for years that a record be made of the contribution of Oliver Tambo to the cause. All his life has been spent in the political struggle for the liberation of the black people of South Africa and for the establishment of a non-racial South African nation. Yet, little of his life’s work has been publicised. This is largely because of his self-effacing character; he has no desire to be seen as some kind of hero. These pages show that he had dedicated his life to his country and to his colleagues in the liberation struggle.

It has taken many years to collect Oliver’s speeches. My family and friends pressed me to have them published, and four years ago I prepared to do so but for some reason procrastinated. However, with Oliver’s seventieth birthday approaching I felt that a book of his speeches would be a fitting birthday present. By producing this book, our three children and I salute him in the name of our people. We owe this book to those compatriots who have paid the supreme price in the liberation struggle, to those in prison, to those in exile and to those who are carrying on the struggle inside South Africa.

In the light of impending success in our liberation struggle, the whole world now looks to the African National Congress and assesses its role and its policies. It is only natural that the President also be judged. I hope that these speeches will show him both as a political leader and as a man.

There are several people to thank:

My children, Tembi and Martin Kingston, Dalindlela Tambo and Tselane Tambo, Daphne and Mahlubi Kumalo; Ben Turok, Director of the Institute for African Alternatives, who edited the speeches and without whose help this book would not have been realised.

ES Reddy, former Secretary of the UN Unit Against Apartheid, helped me collect Oliver’s UN speeches; Professor Tom Karis for helping us find some speeches; Michael Seifert and Helen Searle for their legal advice with difficult and finer points of law.

Finally, I must thank my family for their continuing support and encouragement. I have benefitted a great deal from their young lives.