The executive mayor of the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality (EMM), Clr Mondli Gungubele, shared his excitement about the celebrations that took place throughout the month of October in commemorating Mr Oliver Reginald Tambo’s legacy.
The council meeting was held on Thursday, October 29.
Clr Gungubele said Mr Tambo’s memory must guide and motivate everyone to work even harder to consolidate and promote a value-based society to positively impact on the quality of life of all our people.
“We start this meeting on a high note, still celebrating the immortal and imperishable memory of one of the greatest sons of our country, Oliver Reginald Tambo and his better half Dr Adelaide Tambo. After all, a country that lacks the memory of its leaders stands the risk of perishing. This month is about a man of ubuntu and wisdom. An educator, chorister, advocate of human supremacy, intellectual, servant of the people and a leader. A diplomat, strategist and African revolutionary. Oliver Tambo influenced the world against Apartheid and became an internationalist, yet never forsook his roots,” said Clr Gungubele.
The wreath laying ceremony was held on October 27, which is Mr Tambo’s birthday.
The ceremony was also attended by President Jacob Zuma, Ms Graca Machel, the Premier of Gauteng Mr David Makhura and other dignitaries, which included delegations from the Alfred Nzo and OR Tambo municipalities in the Eastern Cape.
Clr Gungubele said there is still a lot that needed to be done as people are still looking for decent work in their struggle with poverty.
He said he understood the struggle faced by the thousands of tertiary students who took to the streets to demand that tertiary education be made available to all, regardless of social background.
“We must rally behind them because an educated nation is a clarified nation. Both OR and Mama Tambo emphasised the importance of education because they understood its importance in any society.No child of this country must be deprived of quality education because of a lack of the financial resources to pursue such,” said Clr Gungubele.
Since the beginning of October, there has been a series of activities in memory of Mr and Mrs Tambo.
To wrap up the month’s celebrations, the EMM hosted a music competition; the Ekurhuleni Melting Pot Choral Music Festival, which took place at the Carnival City Casino from October 31 to November 1. The melting pot was launched three years ago and one of the prizes included a car.
Clr Gungubele also expressed his shock regarding the the bodies of numerous illegal miners that remain underneath one of the defunct mines in Benoni.
“The Department of Minerals’ attempts to retrieve the bodies came to naught and the search had to be called off because it was too dangerous. This makes you wonder how many people have actually perished in these defunct mines and no one knows anything about it,”said Clr Gungubele.
