Youth Month will be used to reflect on the life and legacy of Oliver Tambo. He would have celebrated his 100th birthday this year if he was still with us. Oliver Reginald Kaizana Tambo(fondly known as O.R.) was born on October 27, 1917 and died on April 24, 1993. He was a South African anti-apartheid politician and revolutionary who served as President of the African National Congress (ANC) from 1967 to 1991. He was the longest serving ANC President. Of the 30 years (1960 - 1990) that the ANC was banned by the apartheid government, Oliver Tambo was the ANC President for 23 years.
Therefore Oliver Tambo was ANC Presient through its darkest period, but still he was able to keep the ANC united and see it overcome apartheid.
OR Tambo was indeed the glue that held the ANC together in exile during challenging conditions. He managed to do this because of his leadership qualities. Key amongst these, was the fact that he was a good listener and always sought to achieve consensus.
He was humble and respected every viewpoint, and in that way, he was able to make all feel important and welcomed in the organisation.
The idea of a national grouping of young revolutionaries was conceived by OR Tambo and this idea crystallised in the beginnings of the Afrfican National Youth League (ANCYL). In December 1943, the ANCYL was formally accepted by the ANC at its Congress in Botshabelo and Tambo at the age of 26 was elected the first Secretary of the ANCYL.
During his leadership OR Tambo was very mindful of the rights of women. He commissioned a Code of Conduct that saw that womens rights are respected and upheld by all in the organisation. He tried to ensure that the abuse of women was eradicated.
On January 8, 1985, Tambo delivered his most dramatic speech calling on people to "Render South Africa Ungovernable.”
Following the July 1985 State of Emergency, he again appealed to all South Africans, Black and White, to make Apartheid unworkable and the country ungovernable.
In 1986, he called for a campaign to establish an alternative system of education and called for the unbanning of the Congress of South African Students(COSAS).
During the early hours of the morning 24 April 1993, Oliver Reginald Tambo passed away of a heart attack.
He was honoured with a state funeral where scores of friends, supporters, colleagues and heads of state bade him farewell. His epitaph, reads, in his own words:
“It is our responsibility to break down barriers of division and create a country where there will be neither Whites nor Blacks, just South Africans, free and united in diversity.”
The Class of 2017
June 16, 1976 marks a remarkable day in the history of our country when young people stood up for what they believed in despite the opposition of an oppressive regime. The youth of today should continue to build on the foundations that were laid by the youth of the past. The youth of 1976 was prepared to sacrifice fotr a better South Africa. What are we prepared to sacrifice to continue building a better South Africa? We need to be like OR Tambo and live exemplary lives so that future generations will emulate a lifestyle of Ubuntu and not of selfishness.
It goes without saying that the youth of today are dealing with numerous challenges, but so did the youth of 1976, but they continued to move foward to strive for better opportunities for themselves and for others.
As the Youth we must take our challenges head-on and overcome them so that it does not limit us from achieving our potential and limit our nation from achieving its potential to become a complete non-racial, non-sexist, democratic, united and prosperous South Africa.
Here are some examples of how youth have influenced society. John Dube was in his youth when he built a school that is still standing today and he started a newspaper. Jesus between age 30 and 33 carried out his earthly ministry that impacted the faith of Millions.
Karl Marx was 26 when he wrote the Communist Manifesto and Vladimir Lenin was 33 when he led the Russian Revolution. Pixley ka Isaka Seme was 24 when he wrote The Regeneration of Africa, on which most of the thinking around the African Renaissance is based.
Nelson Mandela was 32 and OR Tambo was 31 when they spearheaded the anti-apartheid programme of action in 1949.
The Youth Development sub-programme will be holding its Provincial Youth Month Programme on June 13, 2017 in Kimberley. Young people from across the province will be attending the programme. The theme for the programme will be: “The Year of OR Tambo: Youth Development at the centre of building a Cohesive Society through access to Education.” The programme will involve a Round Table Discussion with Sol Plaatjie Unversity, the Development Agency and delegates from all five Districts.
MEC Gift van Staden will also be addressing the provincial programme.
The Northern Cape Provincial June 16 Programme will be held in Jan Kempdorp which is organised by the Department of Sport, Arts & Culture.
As we celebrate Youth Day on June 16, let us not just relfect on the achievements of the youth of the past; but let us be inspired by the youth of the past, the class of 1949 and the class of 1976, to overcome our challenges. Let us, as the class of 2017, also be remembered for having contributed in moving South Africa forward! Let us stand up and be counted - let's be the difference we want to see happening in South Africa.
Roar young lions, roar!
By Kobus Fourie
