Formation of UMkhonto WeSizwe

In 1961 after many years of schooling and working as a teacher, lawyer and activist, OR Tambo left his country of birth after the liberation movement’s NEC mandate that ordered Tambo to head its diplomatic mission and to communicate to the world the situation in South Africa. For decades he lived in a foreign land. As head of Mission in Exile, he had to oversee the growing number of liberation movements in exile, the uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) military camps, fundraising, the setting up of ANC offices around the world, the welfare of ANC cadres (in exile) as well as interact with the international community. In January 1962 OR Tambo met a delegation from home in Tanzania, that had slipped out of the country. They explained to him the details of the decision to launch MK and armed operations, and the need to cooperate closely with alliances in this process. The delegation worked out a programme for the External Mission under the new circumstances whereby OR Tambo had to develop diplomatic support for MK.