Vanessa Nakate to Open Giving Black Conference 2026 With Climate Justice Keynote
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South Africa Thabo Mbeki is a South African politician and economist known for his leadership as President of South Africa and his vision for an 'African renaissance'.
Report on South African interventions led by Mbeki to tackle some of Africa's political problems, highlighting his 'African vision'.
Strategic Partnership and Collaboration on Africa Renaissance with the Thabo Mbeki Foundation (TMF).
Strategic partner for the Thabo Mbeki Foundation's Africa Day Lecture, committing R35 million to the Centre, a cornerstone of the Foundation's vision for Africa's Renaissance.
Committed R35 million to the Thabo Mbeki Foundation's Centre, a cornerstone of the Foundation's vision for Africa's Renaissance, starting in 2022.
Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki was born on June 18, 1942, in Mbewuleni, Transkei, now part of the Eastern Cape. His parents were both teachers and political activists. He joined the ANC Youth League at age fourteen and was expelled from Lovedale Institute in 1959 due to student strikes. He completed his matriculation exams and later enrolled for an economics degree at the University of London. In 1962, he left South Africa to evade police attention, continuing his studies in the UK and pursuing political activism against apartheid. He earned a Master’s in economics from the University of Sussex in 1966.
Mbeki became deeply involved with the African National Congress (ANC) during his almost three decades in exile. He underwent military training in the Soviet Union in 1969 and served in significant roles for the ANC in Lusaka, Botswana, Swaziland, and Nigeria, establishing offices and recruiting new operatives. In 1975, he was elected to the ANC’s National Executive Committee. He played a crucial role in the ANC’s Department of Information and Publicity, reforming its public image and ghostwriting speeches for Oliver Tambo, his long-time mentor. Mbeki was a key negotiator in the secret talks with the South African government from 1989, which led to the unbanning of the ANC and the release of political prisoners, and participated in all subsequent negotiations for a democratic South Africa.
Mbeki’s career progressed to national leadership after the end of apartheid. He became one of two national Deputy Presidents in 1994, under Nelson Mandela, and became the sole Deputy President in 1996. In 1997, he was elected unopposed as President of the ANC, and subsequently became the President of South Africa in 1999, serving until 2008. His presidency was marked by a focus on economic stability, pan-Africanism, and multilateral diplomacy, including spearheading the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) and becoming the inaugural chairperson of the African Union in 2002.
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