Celebrating the life of OR Tambo

An exciting month of activities and festivities is on the cards for the province during October.

Sport, recreation, arts & culture MEC Fezeka Bayeni launched the OR Tambo Month campaign at the ICC in East London on Tuesday morning.

MEC Bayeni outlined the activities that would celebrate icon Oliver Tambo at the briefing session while also welcoming Khaya Majeke of KM Sport Promotions, who have partnered with the department to host the annual international bodybuilding championship in Bizana.

The minister said this month followed on the heels of Heritage Month. They would also display their heritage, culture, language, and essence in this coming month.

“In this month of Oliver Reginald Kaizana Tambo, we therefore are extending ourselves in celebrating the life and times of our political heritage through this great giant who hailed from Nkantolo in Bizana,” said Bayeni.

“OR, as he was affectionately known, was born on October 27 1917. Had he still been alive he would be 102 years old.

“Tambo was an avid sports person having participated in football, tennis and cricket while at St Peters Secondary School in Johannesburg.”

She added that they were grateful to be joined by Khaya Majeke Sport Promotions, no strangers in the field of sport and key in the development of sport, not only in the province but in the country as a whole.

“As the department, we are in partnership with KM Sport to host the fourth annual international bodybuilding championships in Bizana on October 26th, the eve of OR Tambo’s birthday.

“On the same morning, the 26th, we will also host the third annual Mzila ka Tambo 42km marathon. The winners get a whopping prize of R25,000.

“I will also take part in this year’s marathon, joining the likes of Samuel Matsepe, Nkosikhona Mhlakwana, Vuyokazi Gebe, Rethabile Molefe, Janet Mbele, Fikile Mbuthuma and others,” she said.

The launch was attended by Andrew Sokolich from Body Building South Africa, Xolani Bishoti from BCM sport council, Bafundi Makhubalo and Dean Sanders from Mahindra Motorland group.

Khaya Majeke from KM Sports confirmed that the majority of bodybuilders were from Mozambique and Swaziland and would be part of this tournament.

“The Alfred Nzo district municipality, together with Mbizana local municipality, will join us at a later stage because for now we are just finalising negotiations.

“This is the platform we created to show that if you are from poor areas you can still become an ambassador for our province as well as the country,” Majeke said.