A legend of the struggle
As part of a series on the heroes honoured in eThekwini’s new street and building names, Cerina Rabilall profiles Adelaide Tambo
Adelaide Tambo Drive Formerly Kensingston Drive
LIBERATION struggle doyenne Adelaide Frances Tambo was born on 18 July 1929 at the Top Location, Vereeniging, in the Vaal Triangle. Her political life started at just 10, following a riot at the location while she was a primary school pupil at St Thomas Practicing School in Johannesburg.
Five years later, she started working for the ANC as a courier while studying at Orlando High. At 18, Adelaide joined the ANC Youth League and was elected to chair the George Goch branch.
Later, as a student nurse at Pretoria General Hospital, she started another branch with the help of people like Sheila Musi, Mildred Kuzwayo and Nonhle Zokwe. She met Oliver Tambo at a meeting of the Eastern township branch of the ANC and the two were married in December 1956, during the Treason Trial of 156 activists, including Nelson Mandela.
The ANC asked the couple to leave the country in 1960 to carry on the work of the organisation outside South Africa and they remained in exile in London until the unbanning of all political parties.
Adelaide became a founder member of the AfroAsian Solidarity Movement and the Pan-African Women’s Organisation. She assisted in identifying and financially assisting families whose children left South Africa after the 1976 uprisings. In 1994 she was elected to represent the ANC in Parliament. Besides serving as national Treasurer of the ANC Women’s League, Adelaide occupied herself with community work, caring especially for elderly people in old age homes. She launched the Adelaide Tambo Trust for the Elderly and was honorary life patron of the Cape Town City Ballet.
Her contribution to the liberation struggle and commitment to community projects earned her several awards, namely, the Noel Foundation Life Award for initiating the anti-apartheid movement in Britain; the first Oliver Tambo/Johnny Makatini freedom award in February 1995; the Order of Simon of Cyrene in July 1997, the highest order given by the Anglican Church for distinguished service by lay people and, in 2002, the Order of the Baobab in Gold.
Ma Thambo, as she was affectionately known, died on 31 January 2007 at her Hyde Park home in Johannesburg at the age of 77. Thousands of people, including government ministers, diplomats and clergy, attended her funeral service, which was held at a stadium in Wattville. Ma Tambo was buried next to her husband in the Tamboville cemetery named in their honour. She is survived by her three children, Dali, Thembi, Tselane and several grandchildren.
Source: South African History Online