WATCH: St Martin’s School discovers OR Tambo’s corridors of hideout

Hasgspihl, headmaster at St Martin’s School, led an entourage of interested people on 8 October to explore the underground tunnels that were reportedly used by OR Tambo as a hideout.

The tunnels are located under the school’s mathematics classrooms.

The tunnels were recently discovered by the school with an old mattress, memoirs, canned drinks, cigarette cartons and newspapers to name a few. These tunnels are adjacent to the then Tambo’s office as the teacher.

Tambo was both a learner and a teacher at the school, which was also known as St Peter’s School.

Other members who also attended the viewing were from OR Tambo School of Leadership, ANC Zone 11 Joburg South and OR Tambo branch.

The opening of the tunnel is at the corner of the mathematics class, which used to be a boarding house.

When you enter the tunnel, a few meters on the left you find a compartment with a mattress and when you immediately turn to the right, the tunnel becomes narrower.

Zone 11 secretary, Simphiwe Hlafa, said this is heritage for both the school and the ANC.

Math teacher Tshepo Molefe described the viewing of the tunnel as exhilarating. “I started teaching in 2014 and I moved into this class in 2021. I heard that there was this hole, however, it is my first time going in. I never knew I will be so close to a place where icons used to live,” he said.

Hagspihl also took the entourage to the laboratory where Tambo used to teach science.

“These desks, where Tambo would have taught, haven’t been removed since the 1940s. His first degree was not law but science. He taught science here for about five years and that’s where he met Walter Sisulu in his law practice in Johannesburg. This was when his interest in law sparked to life. The beginnings of the ANC Youth League are on this campus. That’s when they thought about the concept,” he said.

He also mentioned that they are moving the school and the new campus will be located at St Martin’s Preparatory School campus. However, before they leave they want to put a window outside the class where the tunnel is so that people will be able to see the mattress and everything else that is inside.

“It will be a good idea to turn his office into a memorial, museum or library. The OR Tambo School of Leadership needs to help,” he noted.

St Martin’s School is a school with a great legacy. Other than Tambo many prominent South Africans, such as Hugh Masekela, Es’kia Mpahlele and Fikile Bam to name a few were schooled here.

The early years of St Martin’s had their roots as far back as 1922. These roots are closely linked to the history of Rosettenville and for many years been the beacon of education in the area. The Anglican Church established St Peter’s School for young black men and in these early years the school was known as the ‘Black Eton’.

St Peter’s closed in 1956, as the school leaders of the time would not subscribe to the apartheid government’s policies. The school was reopened as St Martin’s School in 1958.