Even after all these years, seeing those first images of Nelson Mandela walking out of prison still gives me chills. It’s been 36 years since those pictures were broadcast around the globe, and they still feel incredibly powerful and inspiring.
The warm, friendly images of Dali Tambo – smiling and waving – were a stark contrast to the serious portraits we’d seen before, and powerfully demonstrate how justice and forgiveness can transform lives. For Tambo, who participated in Channel 4’s new documentary about these events, the past feels incredibly recent – as if it all happened yesterday.
Dali is the son of Oliver Tambo, a close friend, business associate, and lifelong ally of Nelson Mandela in the fight for equality in South Africa. When Mandela was released from prison, Tambo was recovering from a stroke in a Swedish hospital. Dali immediately went to be with him, recalling a joyous scene: “Tambo already knew and his hospital room was filled with celebrating nurses, even dancing. There were tears, but it was one of the most beautiful moments of my life.”
After leaving South Africa in 1960, Oliver Tambo relocated to London with his family and spent the next several decades leading the African National Congress (ANC) from abroad. He traveled extensively, seeking international support for the ANC’s goals. Dali Tambo grew up in a home deeply involved in the struggle, where Nelson Mandela was considered a beloved family member – ‘Uncle Nelson’.
Nelson and Aunt Winnie became like family to us. My mum, who was training to be a nurse, shared a room with Winnie and once told her about a new colleague: ‘My husband has gone into law with a really handsome man named Nelson – you two should meet!’ And that’s how their relationship began.
My father immediately recognized my Uncle Nelson’s natural leadership abilities and believed he should represent the fight against apartheid. He later emphasized that the focus of the movement should be securing the release of Nelson and the other prisoners held on Robben Island, and ultimately, that’s exactly what happened.
As the ANC gained more political power, Dali recalls changing from a shy schoolboy who didn’t talk about his father’s work to a popular student. He witnessed his father and his colleagues fighting against apartheid firsthand, which made him more politically aware. He then helped create Artists Against Apartheid, a UK-based group that used art and culture to keep the world focused on South Africa and its government’s growing isolation.
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I collaborated with Jerry Dammers, the writer of “Free Nelson Mandela” with The Special AKA, and together we brought in a lot of other musicians. This sparked curiosity – if someone was a fan of artists like George Michael, they’d wonder why he was against apartheid, and he’d end up explaining the issue to his record label. We found that across much of Europe, even when governments didn’t officially support the ANC, the public often did.
One of Nelson Mandela’s first trips after being released from prison was to Sweden, where he visited a longtime friend. Dali recalls a heartwarming moment: the King of Sweden hosted a party for Mandela, and as they were leaving, both men playfully insisted the other go first, affectionately using old nicknames and causing everyone to laugh.
He explains that his father’s stroke prevented him and his friend from continuing their work together; they would have been a powerful team. Instead, his father supported his friend’s brother, Nelson, and was happy to see him become the first president of a democratic South Africa.
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2026-06-08 19:41