01/06/2026
How OR Tambo Used a Malawian Passport
Oliver Reginald Tambo was a very important African leader. He was the president of the African National Congress, known as the ANC, in South Africa. He led the ANC from 1967 to 1991.
The ANC was fighting for the rights of Black South Africans. They wanted Black people to rule themselves and to live as free and equal citizens. They were against the apartheid system, which was a cruel system where white people controlled everything.
Because of his political work, OR Tambo was seen as a dangerous man by the South African white government. This made his life and his travels very difficult and risky.
Malawi stepped in to help him. The Malawian government gave OR Tambo a passport so that he could travel safely. He used that passport under the name Rex Mtembu to hide his true identity.
This happened in 1972, at a time when the ANC needed all the help it could get. Having a Malawian travel document allowed OR Tambo to move around the world and continue his important work without being caught.
This is a little known but powerful piece of history. Malawi quietly played a role in the South African freedom struggle ~ a role that many people have forgotten today.
