Unisa, in partnership with the Oliver & Adelaide Tambo Foundation, held the 5th OR Tambo Memorial Lecture, celebrating the life of South Africa’s struggle icon and a doyen of democracy. Commemorated on 5 September 2025, under the theme "Legacy in action: Oliver Tambo’s vision and the future of just leadership in South Africa", the event marked what would have been the 108th birth of this prominent anti-apartheid activist, educator and the longest-serving president of the African National Congress.

Setting the scene and providing context of the lecture, Dr Erin Naudé, Acting Regional Director of Unisa’s Gauteng Region, remarked that the lecture was dedicated to the youth to give them a platform and a voice in shaping the future for just leadership. Naude added that Tambo’s legacy was entrenched in achieving liberation and transformation in South Africa and beyond.

In her welcome address, Liana Joubert, Unisa’s Deputy Registrar of Student Admission and System Integration, said: "We are here to commemorate the life of a great leader, and also to reflect deeply on Tambo’s legacy and its continued relevance in shaping Africa’s intellectual and ethical future." She continued: "Tambo’s influence was rooted in unwavering commitment to constitutionalism, democracy and ethical leadership. His leadership remains a guiding force as we navigate the challenges and opportunities of our future."

Joubert further asserted that the lecture’s theme illuminates the essence of just leadership. "Therefore," she continued, "it is relevant to ask if South Africa has just leadership in this democratic era." According to Joubert, the lecture also highlighted the importance of nurturing the next generation, hence the choice of a young and eminent keynote speaker.

Dr Sizwe Mpofu-Walsh

Embracing a bold legacy

Delivering the keynote address, Dr Sizwe Mpofu-Walsh, lecturer at the University of the Witwatersrand, activist and podcaster, lauded Tambo as a radical critic of the apartheid regime while building democracy and the nation. "Tambo refused to compromise the liquidation of apartheid as a crime against humanity. He strongly believed that a crime cannot be reformed or amended, and it should be intolerable," Mpofu-Walsh continued. "Tambo was not just a brilliant law practitioner; he was also a law giver that imagined just law for a new society."

Further, Mpofu-Walsh stated that Tambo reiterated that terrible but cleansing fires would be required in revolutionary war to achieve peace in South Africa. He added: "He intensified the arms struggle, but, concurrently, he imagined a peaceful and democratic South Africa through the Constitution." Mpofu-Walsh maintained that Tambo’s preamble of the Constitution he envisaged for South Africa highlighted that, among others, "South Africa belongs to all that live in it, black and white, and no government can justly claim authority, unless it is based on the will of the people."

For Mpofu-Walsh, the country should take lessons from Tambo to become bold in its political imagination. "We can still reimagine what reconstituting South Africa might look like – that will be embracing Tambo’s legacy," he expressed. Mpofu-Walsh also raised a concern that about 70% of the country’s children live in poverty under democracy, encouraging that unity and a common vision are required to combat such social issues and to attain a just society.

Panellists from left: Dr Sithembile Mbete, Thabo Makwakwa and Gogo Aubrey Matshiqi

Essential tools to realise justice

Notable panellists shared insights on the lecture and Tambo’s legacy. Dr Sithembile Mbete, Executive Director at the Public Affairs Research Institute, asserted that Tambo had a strong moral stance and welcomed criticism; thus, he did not possess an inferiority complex.

For Thabo Makwakwa, Senior Journalist at Independent Online (IOL), affirmed that Tambo was able to unite people in finding solutions, adding that radical journalism is also key in building a democratic society.

Additionally, Gogo Aubrey Matshiqi, independent political consultant and author, argued that justice cannot be achieved in a society that embraces patriarchy and racism. He stated: "There is a need to reconceptualise Ubuntu, which is a quality that Tambo had in abundance."

A moral voice needed

Natasha Allie, Chief Executive Officer of Oliver & Adelaide Tambo Foundation, expressed that the lecture reminded everyone that legacy is not just about memory, but it is also about action, responsibility and vision. "Tambo’s vision reminds us that despair is not an option, but it affirms that leadership in difficult times must embrace the values of justice, humility and unity." Allie also thanked Unisa for its continued commitment to hosting the lecture.

Concluding, Dr Bunki Pitsoane, Head of Counselling and Career Development for Unisa’s Gauteng Region, appreciated the stimulating views and encouraged young people to continue sharing their insights for nation building.

* By Nancy Legodi, Acting Senior Journalist, Department of Institutional Advancement

** Photography by Shooheima Champion, Unisa Multimedia Centre