MEDIA ADVISORY
For immediate release | 13 October 2025
 
O.R. TAMBO DISTRICT KEEPS HIS SPIRIT ALIVE : OCTOBER AS A LIVING TRIBUTE, NOT A CEREMONY
 
Because we carry his name, October will never be an ordinary month in the O.R. Tambo District. It is a living reminder that leadership is not a title but a duty. True to that calling, the O.R. Tambo District Municipality continues to mark October as O.R. Tambo Month, not as ceremony, but as commitment.
 
This year, under the theme “Reclaiming the Soul of the Nation: Revolutionary Morality and Democratic Renewal,” the District is deepening its programme of action across communities. From wellness and fitness events to youth engagements, civic dialogues and service delivery exhibitions, the month reflects the discipline, humility and moral courage that defined Tat’ Oliver Reginald Tambo.
As the commemorations build toward their peak, all roads lead to the 6th O.R. Tambo Memorial Lecture at Walter Sisulu University in Mthatha on 28 October 2025 at 17:00. The lecture brings together voices from across the District, to reflect on the values that shaped one of South Africa’s greatest sons.
 
The keynote address will be delivered by a renowned constitutional law expert and former advisor to the Constitutional Assembly, whose work contributed to shaping South Africa’s democratic framework. The speaker will reflect on the moral and civic values that guided O.R. Tambo’s leadership and their relevance to South Africa’s ongoing democratic renewal.
The month’s programme also features the O.R. Tambo Half Marathon, Golf Day, and various community-driven initiatives promoting unity, health and active citizenship.
 
“To carry the name of O.R. Tambo as a District is not a ceremonial privilege; it is a moral assignment,” says Executive Mayor Cllr M.D. Ngqondwana. “In this month, we do not only lay wreaths in memory; we rise in service and discipline to prove we understand the weight of the name we carry.”
October belongs to the people of this District and to the living spirit of O.R. Tambo that still calls us to act, to serve, and to lead with conscience.
 
Media Enquiries & Accreditation:
Communications & IGR Unit
O.R. Tambo District Municipality
📧 ncebakazik@ortambodm.gov.za
📞 060 980 3042