Struggle icon Oliver Reginald Tambo would surely have been deeply hurt and angry today if he could see the succession of corruption scandals and the spread of the capitalist culture of greed and self-enrichment, said the South African Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu), while paying tribute to Tambo on Friday, on what would have been his one-hundredth birthday. 

Saftu said In a statement that Tambo had been one of South Africa’s greatest revolutionary leaders in the liberation struggle.

“He was the most principled and committed leader, without whose work and dedication we might have waited much longer for the overthrow of racist tyranny in 1994. Yet he was also one of the most modest and selfless leaders, who always put the movement of the masses before his own interests,” said Saftu.
 
The federation further declared that Tambo and his then ANC was a symbol of all the best values for the people of Africa.

The ANC seems divided as its president, Jacob Zuma, is allegedly accused of corruption scandals that have benefited his family and those close to him.

Saftu highlighted that Tambo was opposed to the current marauding culture of “me first and to hell with everyone else”.

“He . . . lived a simple life and it was not about greed and the self-serving manoeuvres that we are witnessing today. For OR, it was the people first and not families and cronies. . . He was about building an egalitarian society as opposed to the culture of conspicuous consumption, which underlines the growing inequalities.”

Saftu said Tambo played such an important role in not only uniting the ANC in difficult years of exile but also championing the Freedom Charter. "Without his skillful leadership, the ANC and, consequently, the struggling masses, could have easily descended into tribal divisions and racial strife, the federation added.

Saftu expressed concern about tribalism rearing its ugly head again and, notwithstanding the strides made, racism and racial divisions remained a problem. 

Saftu reiterated that there was no better time to honour OR Tambo’s memory and to relearn the lessons he taught on how a revolutionary struggle should and should not be led.

The federation expressed disdain that, today, the struggle icon would see the opposite of what he fought for – a country in which, for the large majority, there was neither peace nor prosperity.

“Far from being peaceful, more and more poor communities are becoming like war zones, in which communities take to the streets, often in violent protests against run-away crime, poor service delivery and the lack of basic amenities,” said Saftu.

Saftu added that the number of ANC leaders who had been implicated in “outrageous levels” of corruption, fraud and other economic crimes to enrich themselves, their families and cronies was embarrassing,

It says they have collaborated with private-sector business leaders to loot State-owned enterprises and bring some of them to the brink of bankruptcy.

“We owe it to the memory of comrade OR Tambo and all other struggle heroes, to rid our movement of this scourge of corruption, theft and greed, and unite behind the principles that he personified – of fighting for a better life for all South Africans and bringing service to the people before any thought of personal enrichment,” Saftu declared.