Speaking at the Tamboville Cemetery in Wattville, Zuma hailed Tambo as a unifier and a visionary, who wanted to see the African National Congress (ANC) and the entire country moving past the shackles of racial barriers.
About Adelaide, the President said: “Mama Adelaide was more than a leader to us, she was a pillar of strength, a mother figure and a disciplinarian. She took good care of us.”
Tambo would have turned 98 years old this year and the annual wreath-laying ceremony also took the form of a birthday celebration.
The host, Ekurhuleni Mayor Mondli Gungubele, was joined by scores of distinguished guests, including as Graça Machel, former executive mayor and representative of the Oliver and Adelaide Tambo Foundation Duma Nkosi, the Mayor of Mbizana Local Municipality Clr Makhaya Twabu and Gauteng Premier David Makhura.
“We are very honoured to celebrate this special day with President Zuma in our midst, as we are gathered here to celebrate an immortal and imperishable memory of the late Tambo.
“Memories are meant to be treasured, thus a country that lacks memory of its leaders stands the risk of perishing,” said Gungubele.
Zuma urged Twabu to take a page from Ekurhuleni’s book and to build a monument to honour Tasmbo’s life in his birthplace.
