OR Tambo Returns from Exile
On 13 December 1990, exactly 35 years ago, Oliver Reginald Tambo, the exiled Deputy President and later President of the African National Congress (ANC), returned to his country of birth after having left it almost three decades earlier. With the unbanning of the ANC in 1990 and the process of transition already underway, the entire Tambo family flew back to South Africa in December 1990. Unfortunately, Tambo was unable to address the welcoming crowd at the airport due to his loss of speech.
Pressure and exhaustion took its toll on Tambo in 1989, and he suffered a severe stroke that resulted in him losing his speech. Following his stroke, he was rushed from Lusaka, on Tony Rowland’s executive plane to Harley Street in London, on the orders of President Kenneth Kaunda of Zambia. Rowland also assisted in paying for Tambo’s medical treatment. Against the advice of his physician and the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the ANC, Tambo continued his punishing work schedule, travelling on ANC business. He suffered another stroke in 1990 whilst undergoing medical treatment in Sweden. Again, Rowland flew him back to London where he was treated.
The 73-year-old ANC President, appearing frail but smiling broadly, was greeted at the airport by a throng of ANC leaders, foreign ambassadors and anti-apartheid dignitaries. He later waved from an airport balcony to 5,000 singing, cheering supporters outside. Luli Callinicos wrote, “At the airpor
