The life of former African National Congress (ANC) president Oliver Reginald Tambo was commemorated on Thursday with the unveiling of a new statue of the former anti-apartheid struggle stalwart at international arrivals at the OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg.

President Jacob Zuma was joined by members of the Tambo family and government officials for the unveiling of the 2.5 m bronze statue, a bust of the South African icon and the official renaming of the Air Traffic and Navigation Services auditorium and tower.

The unveiling forms part of the ANC’s OR Tambo centenary celebrations, being held under the theme, ‘Life and Legacy of OR Tambo’.

Zuma delivered the keynote address at the ceremony and said that Tambo had left a lasting legacy for all South Africans and not just the ANC.

“This selfless patriot dedicated his adult life to the tireless pursuit of the liberation of our country and its people. In his honour government has declared the year 2017 the year of Oliver Reginald Tambo to be the year of unity in action by all South Africans as we move South Africa forward,” declared Zuma. 

Tambo was one of the founding members of the ANC Youth League in 1944 and became its first national secretary, and together with Nelson Mandela, Anton Lembede and Walter Sisulu, they were instrumental in the transformation of the ANC.

Tambo bears the distinction of being the longest serving president of the ANC.

“He led the organisation during one of the most difficult and trying moments of the liberation struggle, most importantly at the time when the ANC had been banned and had gone underground. President Tambo became the glue that held the many facets of the ANC together during that difficult period,” Zuma recalled.

He went on to say that Tambo’s internationalism allowed the anti-apartheid movement to “sharpen the international pillar of our struggle”.

Zuma attributed the international campaign to release Mandela and other political prisoners and the campaign for sanctions against apartheid South Africa to Tambo’s leadership.

“The declaration of apartheid as a crime against humanity was due to his tireless leadership of the international pillar of our struggle. Assisted by African governments, president Tambo established ANC missions in Egypt, Ghana, Morocco and in London,” said Zuma.

Under Tambo’s stewardship, the ANC established missions in 27 countries by 1990.

“The statue being unveiled today depicts Oliver Reginald Tambo as the revered international statesman, president of the ANC and commander of a liberation army, descending the steps of an aircraft and greeting the waiting crowds of supporters,” Zuma enthused.

The installation of the statue at the international arrivals hall of Africa’s busiest airport was especially fitting, said Zuma, as it was to this Airport that OR Tambo would return in 1990, after 30 years in exile, finally to be greeted by his own people.

OR TAMBO INTERNATIONAL
The airport received about 21-million passengers this year, which Zuma said served to confirm the significance of the airport as a leading contributor to not only travel and tourism efforts in South Africa, but to the local economy as a whole.

Since it was founded in 1952, the airport has undergone two name changes – Jan Smuts Airport became Johannesburg International in 1994, which was renamed OR Tambo International Airport on October 27, 2006.

OR Tambo International Airport services airlines from five continents.

ECONOMIC EMANCIPATION
Zuma pointed out that economic emancipation was a clear objective for Tambo.

“Today as we unveil the statue of OR Tambo, we need to ensure that black industrialists and black-owned enterprises get the opportunity to participate in the aviation economy and its value chain,” he said.

Zuma went on to condemn reported incidents of crime associated with the airport, such as local and international passengers having been attacked after leaving the airport.

It was revealed that a team had been assembled from multiple agencies to work on an intervention.

“As we unveil this statue and honour OR together, we reiterate Madiba’s words that Oliver Tambo has not died, because the ideals for which he sacrificed his life can never die. He will continue to inspire all of us as we forge ahead with the mission of building a united, non-racial, non-sexist and prosperous South Africa,” concluded Zuma.