A number of legendary friendships have been recorded in history, ranging from J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis to Achilles and Patroclus. The Oliver and Adelaide Tambo Foundation will join forces with the Nelson Mandela Foundation to pay tribute and celebrate another legendary friendship – that of Oliver Tambo and Nelson Mandela.
Forming part of celebrations to honour the life of Oliver Tambo, who would have celebrated his 100th birthday this year, the event will commemorate the powerful friendship and partnership between Mandela and Tambo which shaped the course of South Africa’s democracy.
Panellists Mac Maharaj, Lindiwe Mabuza and Luli Callinicos will recount how the values, ideals, humanity and spirit of both icons opened the doors to liberty and built South Africa into a country that truly belonged to all who lived in it. Iman Rappetti will play the role of moderator and will facilitate the conversation as people share their memories and recollection of the types of men the two giants were.
“Tambo and Mandela were not only friends but partners and allies. In each other they discovered their purpose which propelled them to take deliberate, principled actions against an unjust government. Most notable was their unwavering pursuit of their common goal of ensuring a free and fair country for everyone regardless of their colour, creed, gender and political persuasion. It was through them that our democracy was born,” says Linda Vilakazi, CEO of the Oliver and Adelaide Tambo Foundation.
Panellists like Maharaj, who served time with Mandela on Robben Island, will share memories in a way in which the audience can engage; while others will reflect on their own recollection of Tambo and Tata. In the audience will be those who worked with the two struggle heroes with the intention of drawing lessons from their remarkable legacy to help support the journey for a just and free South Africa.
Although Tambo and Mandela share roots in the Eastern Cape (the former born in the rural village of Nkantolo in Mbizana in 1917 and the latter born in the small village of Mvezo in Qunu in 1918), their leadership styles differed. Tambo was influenced by the church, while Mandela was born into the royal abaThembu clan.
“This is an important relationship which endured a lot of attempts by the system of apartheid to shake it. Their friendship can be tracked back from when they were expelled as students at Fort Hare University College for participating in a student protest. These two friends and comrades were reunited in Johannesburg by their commitment to fight and oppose the injustices endured by the majority of the people of this country” says Sello Hatang, CE of the Nelson Mandela Foundation.
“This dialogue is important as we reflect on the values of these two giants and how building solidarity for the betterment of our country should be our collective responsibility” concludes Mr Hatang
Tambo and Mandela had a unique friendship that started when they first met at the University of Fort Hare, and continued throughout their lives until Tambo’s passing in 1993.
Their bond was incredibly strong, and they rose to be international leaders, showcasing selflessness, humility and collaboration beyond life’s challenges. They managed to stay friends and comrades even when they were separated with Mandela being incarcerated on Robben Island for 27 years, and Tambo in exile for 30 years. Their life story demonstrates true friendship and exemplary leadership, driven by shared values for justice and human rights.
Tambo and Mandela in Conversation event details:
Date: Tuesday, 4 July 2017
Time: 18:00 for 18:30
Venue: Donald Gordon Auditorium at the Wits School of Governance, 2 St David's Place, Parktown (Opposite Mike’s Kitchen)
Panellists:
Mac Maharaj
After the 1994 elections Maharaj was appointed to the Cabinet where he served as Minister of Transport until the 1999 elections. Maharaj resigned from active politics in 1999, was later appointed as President Jacob Zuma’s spokesperson and is now active in the business world.
Lindiwe Mabuza
Lindiwe Mabuza is a poet who has served as the African National Congress’ Chief Representative to Sweden and the United States, as well as the South African Ambassador to Germany. She garnered international support for the liberation struggle, working for economic sanctions and cultural boycotts. As a writer, Mabuza also used her skill with the written word to take part in multiple collections meant to empower South African women writers such as Malibongwe and One Never Knows.
Luli Callinicos
Callinicos is well known for her work on the formation of the South African working class, which includes a trilogy of books, namely Gold and Workers (1981), Working Life: Factories, Townships and Popular Culture (1987), which won the Noma Award for Publishing in Africa, and A Place in the City: the Rand on the Eve of Apartheid (1993). In 1992, she was commissioned to write Oliver Tambo’s biography, which was published as Oliver Tambo: Beyond the Engeli Mountains.
Moderator: Iman Rappetti
Iman Rappetti is an award-winning journalist who has worked across print and radio, and is currently a senior news anchor. Iman counts among her career highlights, interviews and encounters with former South African President Thabo Mbeki, President Jacob Zuma, and queen of talk Oprah Winfrey.
Tambo and Mandela In Conversation