Ekurhuleni had a special significance for OR Tambo. He lived in the region when he came from the Eastern Cape and it is here that he returned to after spending 30 years in exile. He is now laid to rest here as well. It is this importance that has made the decision to honour him and his legacy an easy one for the city of Ekurhuleni.
“When OR Tambo died, his family chose to have him buried in Wattville in Benoni, where he spent his last days on this earth. We found it important to come up with a precinct to honour him and what he accomplished in his life. But more than that, we wanted the area to recognise his upbringing and passion for community,” says councillor Zeni Tshwongweni, member of the mayoral committee on sport, heritage, recreation, arts and culture of Ekurhuleni.
She believes that the precinct will benefit Ekurhuleni in many ways, including economic development and empowering the communities where it is developed. But, perhaps most importantly, Tshongweni feels that the centre will provide people from all walks of life with access to the history of the people of South Africa and help the younger generation understand where they come from.
Giving back to the community
“The youth needs to understand the struggles of the past which were fought for their rights today. Icons such as Nelson Mandela and OR Tambo were prepared to die fighting for the freedom of South Africa. They were fighting to grow South Africa into the country we know today. They were fighting for all the citizens of the country,” says Tshongweni, adding that if the youth of today get to understand the type of leaders we had in the past, the future looks even brighter going forward.
The centre will provide tangible benefits to local artists. Arts and crafts studios will provide them with a place to not only practice their arts and crafts, but also sell them directly to the visitors at the centre. “There is not going to be a curio shop in the traditional sense but a place where local artists can create their products and sell directly to visitors instead of having to work through a third party. With the centre less than 30 minutes from the airport, people can visit the centre en route to other areas and get a real sense for what OR Tambo was about while contributing to the economic development of the area,” she says.
Tshongweni points out that the centre has not been developed to replace projects such as township tours through Soweto but instead complement them with a look at the legacy that Tambo left behind for not only the citizens of Ekurhuleni but the entire country. “We are enriching and adding value to Gauteng as a province and answering the question of who Tambo was. Now visitors can understand the man. We are also providing schools with opportunities to show learners about the history of Tambo but also the history of South Africa. Children need to understand where they come from,” she adds.
Heritage education
It is this education that is especially important to Tshongweni, who feels that children have become too reliant on technology and do not experience things first-hand but through a computer screen or mobile phone.
“We want to make heritage a part of recreation, a part of healthy living. Through this centre, we want to get children outside, walking, playing and running all while learning about the rich heritage of South Africa. We hope the centre will spark an interest with the youth and get them to search for more information about South Africa on the internet,” she says.
This will also form a vital part in career guidance where children will realise that they can grow up to not only be a lawyer, doctor, nurse, or teacher, but also make them aware of professions in the arts.
This article originally appeared in the Mail & Guardian newspaper as an advertorial supplement