African National Congress (ANC) Adelaide Tambo’s early and untimely death came at a time when she was needed the most, President Thabo Mbeki said on Saturday.
“It is at this moment that we need her to serve as our guide as we strive to ensure that our democratic victory and continuing revolutionary struggle honour, respect and promote the fundamental values and vital aspirations of our people which inspired Ma Tambo throughout her life,” he said.
Mbeki was addressing a crowd of thousands at Tambo’s funeral in Wattville, outside Johannesburg.
The ANC and South Africans need to draw on the example set by Tambo. “As we celebrate our 95th anniversary, we may have forgotten that our movement has lived and led for as long as it has exactly because it is a movement of the people.”
Tambo integrated herself among ordinary people, Mbeki said. “She understood that the poor are also human beings despite their poverty.”
He continued: “Throughout her life, Ma Tambo saw the poor as a part of her.”
Adelaide Tambo seeded the forest of freedom, her son, Dali, told mourners. His mother had bounded with energy, love and passion until her last moment. “I knew it would come, but I dreaded this day,” he said.
She taught her grandchildren that integrity, honesty, kindness and generosity of self were values to strive for, her granddaughter Theodora said. “There is a void in our lives now,” she added.
South Africa’s high commissioner to the United Kingdom, Lindiwe Mabuza, said there had been no end to Tambo’s giving. “We learnt from our role model what is expected of us.”
Tambo represented a greatness of spirit that made the ANC a great organisation, said former president Nelson Mandela. “Adelaide was an activist and freedom fighter in her own right and she was a mother to the liberation movement in exile,” he said.
He called for a return to those values in the “challenging times” in the life of the organisation. Her death should urge all ANC members to strive for unity and put the well-being of the organisation above all personal and sectarian interests, Mandela said.
Crowd members described Tambo as a kind and loving mother who was always concerned about the well-being of her fellow countrymen.
“Mama Tambo was the one who pressurised government to ensure that disabled people received grants,” said Keledi Relo, from the West Rand. “She always held the fight for rights of the disabled close to her heart.”
Tambo became involved in politics at the age of 10 after her grandfather was beaten by police. By 18 she was a branch chairperson of the ANC and spent her life participating in the party’s resistance to apartheid. She was also later married to the party’s leader, Oliver.
Earlier in the day, members of the Tambo family were greeted on arrival by President Thabo Mbeki, Minister of Social Development Zola Skweyiya, Minister of Arts and Culture Pallo Jordan and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Aziz Pahad. Members of the Anglican Church also greeted them as they filed past.
Mbeki finished speaking just after midday and the funeral sermon, conducted by Anglican Archbishop Njongonkulu Ndungane, was expected to follow. Afterwards her body was to be taken to Tamboville cemetery for burial.