Tambo, Oliver Reginald

Tambo, Oliver Reginald

 

Born Oct. 27, 1917, in Bizana, Cape of Good Hope Province, Republic of South Africa. Participant in South Africa’s national liberation movement; lawyer.

In 1944, Tambo helped form the Youth League of the African National Congress (ANC), which advocated a radical program of struggle against racism. Until 1950 he occupied several leading positions in the league. Elected a member of the ANC’s National Executive Committee in 1949, he became general secretary of the ANC in 1955 and vice-president in 1958. Since 1967 he has been the ANC’s acting president. Tambo has been repeatedly arrested and persecuted by the racist powers in South Africa.