Oliver Tambo, ANC Leader and Anti-Apartheid Activist

Oliver Tambo was a key figure in South Africa's struggle against apartheid. He served as the president of the African National Congress (ANC) from 1967 to 1991, making him the longest-serving president of the organization. Tambo’s political career was marked by influential leadership that transformed the ANC from a mainly liberal-constitutionalist group into a radical national liberation movement.

In 1960, following the Sharpeville massacre, the South African government banned the ANC. Tambo went into exile, where he set up the ANC’s international headquarters. Initially, he established a guerrilla training camp in Tanzania in 1965 and later operated from Lusaka, Zambia. His leadership was vital in keeping the ANC united throughout these years, as he lobbied internationally to gain political, moral, and financial support for the anti-apartheid struggle. Under his guidance, the ANC gained global recognition, evolving into a government-in-exile status and framing the fight against apartheid as a worldwide moral battle against racism.

During his tenure, Tambo presided over a significant escalation of both political and armed resistance against apartheid. After the Soweto Uprisings in 1976, he played a crucial role in growing the ANC’s underground operations. He aided in coordinating mass democratic organizations that surfaced in the 1980s, including trade unions and civic groups, which pressured the apartheid regime from within South Africa. Tambo oversaw the military wing of the ANC, Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK), as it ramped up attacks against apartheid targets. This combination of political advocacy and armed struggle under Tambo's leadership significantly increased the isolation of the apartheid government, leading to important measures such as the United States Anti-Apartheid Act of 1987.

As the late 1980s brought signs of weakening to the apartheid regime, Tambo became instrumental in the negotiations for a democratic transition. When the ANC was unbanned in 1990 by President F.W. de Klerk, Tambo returned home to help prepare the organization for a new democratic era. Although health issues led him to step down as president in 1991 to Nelson Mandela, he remained the ANC's national chairman until his death in 1993. Tambo's legacy is vast, as he played a crucial role in setting the stage for South Africa's first democratic elections and contributed to the inclusive policies embedded in the new constitution.

Oliver Tambo played a crucial role in the final years of the anti-apartheid struggle and the transition to democracy in South Africa. After leading the ANC in exile since 1967, he greatly contributed to uniting anti-apartheid forces and gaining international support. Tambo was instrumental in developing the Harare Declaration, which was adopted by both the Organisation of African Unity and the United Nations; this placed the ANC at the center of negotiations for South Africa's future.

In 1989, Tambo suffered a severe stroke, but he returned to South Africa in 1990 after the ANC was unbanned. At the 1991 ANC National Conference, he transitioned the presidency to Nelson Mandela while remaining active as national chairperson until his death in 1993. His leadership and dedication were key in maintaining ANC unity, paving the way for the first democratic elections in 1994.