1917- . South African nationalist politician,
in exile 1960-90, president of the African
National Congress (ANC) from 1977. Tambo was
expelled from teacher training for organizing
a student protest, and joined the ANC 1944.
He set up a law practice with Nelson Mandela
in Johannesburg 1952. In 1956 Tambo, with
other ANC members, was arrested on charges of
treason; he was released the following year.
When the ANC was banned in 1960, he left
South Africa to set up an external wing. He
became acting ANC president in 1967 and
president in 1977, during Mandela's
imprisonment.