It is revolutionaries of the calibre of  President  O.R Tambo that always assure us that as the current generation of ANC leaders and members, we stand on shoulders of giants; that ours is a worthy and noble cause; and that ours is the only movement that can deliver a better life for all.

Having passed on the 24th of April 1993, President O.R did not live to see the freedom and democracy he fought all his life for. However, he never doubted that victory is certain! Even in death, O.R. continued to hold our hands. He continued to guide us.

In this regard, we are reminded of his profound words: “There is no way a spirit of resistance that has sunk so deep in the population can be repressed.” It was also O.R. who reminded us that; “The fight for freedom must go on until it is won. Until our country is free, happy, and peaceful as part of the community of man, we cannot rest.”

The legacy of O.R. Tambo is synonymous with the struggle of the people of South Africa under the leadership of the African National Congress. President O. R Tambo embodied the highest values of our movement: unity, selflessness, service, discipline, humility, hard work, accountability, criticism and self-criticism.

These values became O.R.’s values. They shaped his life He also sought to ensure that our movement remains rooted in and true to these values. O.R. dedicated his entire life to a higher purpose: the fight for the liberation of his people. He was there at every critical moment in the struggle for liberation.

As a diplomat par excellence, and the foremost Ambassador and trusted messenger for our liberation struggle, we credit O.R. for building a formidable global movement against apartheid. He became the father of the global anti-apartheid movement; a movement that brought together men and women of goodwill across the globe; united in their opposition to the apartheid crime against humanity. Correctly so, we also credit O.R. as the chief architect of the relatively peaceful transition to a democratic South Africa.