Let’s cherish Tambo

THE late Oliver Tambo who would have been 100 years old this month, was a true patriot of our country. He was not only a hero of the past but into the future. This endowed him with a vision without which greatness is not possible.

Tambo was a free being. He said that if the mind is narrow and the heart bitter, there is no freedom. When he was confronted with a group of individuals of ANC who demanded the expulsion of Indians, coloureds and whites because they did not meet with the definition of African, he demanded their expulsion. He said they must abide by the principles of the Freedom Charter if they wanted to remain members of the ANC.

Tambo was a deeply spiritual man, a man of scientific temperament who strove to free the poor from the shackles of poverty, disease, illiteracy and discrimination. In this endeavour, he succeeded to a large extent though we have yet to shed our superstitious traditions, break our selfishness and awaken our social conscience.

Tambo was opposed to the formal dogmatic, sectarian aspects of religion. He was interested in the empirical route to reality.

In this endeavour he succeeded to shed superstitious traditions and awaken our social conscience. Tambo would never judge South Africans by stripping their humanity.

He had a versatile, penetrating and gracious mind. This did not exclude a tender heart.

He was the most lovable and magnanimous of men and his memory lives on in our hearts.

The best way to honour this man of true compassion is to get on with the work which he left unfinished; his work for peace, justice and freedom at home and abroad. Dr Sears Appalsamy Netherlands