Much has been written about Oliver Reginald Tambo, by diverse writers and from different perspectives. Lindiwe Mabuza, who spent much of her life in the service of the South African struggle, now presents us with a unique look into his life with an anthology of poems and writings about him and two of the men with whom he shared a special relationship and bond: Olof Palme whom he regarded as a brother and Thabo Mbeki whom he regarded as a son.

Many can attest to the affinity between OR and Thabo Mbeki but the bond between OR and the late Swedish prime minister, Olof Palme, is less well known. On 28 February 1986, just a week after the last time Olof Palme and Oliver Tambo were together on the occasion of the Swedish People's Parliament Against Apartheid, Palme was shot and killed on the streets of Stockholm.

During Lindiwe Mabuza’s time as the ANC chief representative in Sweden, she became well acquainted with the Swedish people, including then-prime minister Olof Palme and his wife Lisbet, and the depth of affection and solidarity that the majority of Swedes felt towards the oppressed people of South Africa. In the dark days of apartheid she resorted to poetry to capture not only the despair and anguish felt by many, but also the fierce determination to fight on. This collection of poems and writings, Tambo Lenyoka, is a wonderful keepsake. It uses words, original art, photographs and illustrations to show the special bonds that existed between OR Tambo, Olof Palme and Thabo Mbeki.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lindiwe Mabuza has published a number of books and volumes of poetry. As chief representative for the ANC to the Scandinavian countries, she was based in Sweden from 1979 to 1987. She edited the journal Voice of Women and was a radio journalist with the ANC’s Radio Freedom, broadcasting from Lusaka, Zambia. She also served as the chairperson of the ANC cultural committee in Lusaka. She was a member of the first democratic South African Parliament from 1994 to 1995 and resumed her diplomatic career as ambassador to Germany from 1995 to 1999; high commissioner to Malaysia, Brunei and The Philippines from 1999 to 2001; and high commissioner to the UK from 2001 to 2009.

Tambo Lenyoka is published by KMM Review Publishing