The Order of the Companions of O.R. Tambo in Silver

Mr Vyacheslav Tetekin (Russia) Awarded for:

His excellent contribution to the fight for the liberation of the people of South Africa and the Southern African region. His efforts assisted many young South African exiles both in Africa and the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR).

Profile of Mr Vyacheslav Tetekin

Mr Vyacheslav Tetekin was born in October 1949 in Siberia, USSR. He did his primary school in the Siberian city of Irkutsk and secondary school in Belarus. His diplomatic career had a focus in Africa; from 1975 to 1978, when he worked in the International Department (Africa Desk) of the USSR State Committee for Vocational Technical Training.

He left the International Department to join the Organising Committee for the 1980 Moscow Olympics. He devoutly supported the African National Congress (ANC) and liberation movements in southern Africa. He worked at the Southern Africa Desk (ANC and South West African People’s Organisation at the Soviet Afro-Asian Solidarity Committee (SAASC) from 1981 to 1996.

His main responsibilities at the SAASC were to facilitate political links with the liberation movements of South Arica as well as European and American anti-apartheid groups. He ensured that there was good reception, accommodation and political-cultural programmes of many ANC delegations to the USSR led by ANC President OR Tambo; Walter and Albertina Sisulu; Alfred Nzo; Thomas Nkobi; Moses Mabhida; Chris Hani; Joe Modise; Joe Slovo; Johnny Makhathini; Joe Nhlanhla and many other prominent freedom-fighters.

He would make arrangements of rest and medical treatment of the ANC leaders, and cadres at Soviet hospitals and health resorts. He ensured there was humanitarian assistance to the ANC camps in Angola and Solomon Mahlangu Freedom College in Tanzania. He supervised the training of hundreds of ANC cadres at Soviet universities and colleges.

He also ensured there was smooth transit via Moscow of the ANC members from some parts of the world to attend international events. He maintained contacts with and visits to all Frontline States in southern Africa with political missions in support of the ANC.

He organised the tour of the ANC Amandla Cultural Group in 1982 and 1985 and the production of two long-play discs. He actively supported the ANC Mission in the USSR Russia from 1988 to 1994. Tetekin is in the process of establishing the Russia-Africa (South of Sahara) Friendship Society.