Johannesburg — The Johannesburg International Airport is now known as the OR Tambo International Airport, following an official renaming ceremony here on Friday.

President Thabo Mbeki joined by among others, former President Nelson Mandela and the Tambo family, attended the ceremony to rename the airport in honour of the late Oliver Reginald Tambo.

The former African National Congress (ANC) leader passed away on 23 April 1999. He would have turned 89 today.

The renaming is set to immortalise Mr Tambo and pay homage to his contribution to South Africa's liberation struggle.

Speakers at the ceremony showered Mr Tambo with praise for his outstanding work in rallying international support for the liberation movement and getting the global community to condemn apartheid.

The ceremony kicked off with the removal of the airport's old name, unveiling the new name much to the excitement of the dignitaries and the airport staff, some of whom had gathered near, while others watched from their work stations.

This was followed by the unveiling of OR Tambo's bronze bust.

Addressing the gathering, President Mbeki said South Africa had in Mr Tambo produced a liberator.

"We are here to pay tribute to a rare human being, and to recite humble prayer of thanks that even as it battled to extricate itself from centuries of conflict and a seemingly intractable crisis, South Africa produced a son, OR Tambo, on whom it could, in the end and without hesitation, bestow the title - the liberator!," said Mr Mbeki.

He said Oliver Tambo had dedicated his life to the liberation and happiness of all people.

Regarding the renaming, Mr Mbeki said the country was pleased to walk in the footsteps of those who had "gone before us" and to give travelers the possibility to associate their travel with the people's hero.

Emphasising the importance of the country's history, President Mbeki explained that if South Africa did not know who it had been it would not be able to correctly determine who it shall be.

Referring to the changes the future brought for the country, he said South Africa could not create the new without negating the old.

"We cannot create a truly democratic, non-racial, non-sexist South Africa without eradicating the legacy of centuries-old colonialism and apartheid," said the President.

Speaking to reporters, Mr Tambo's widow Adelaide, expressed her gratitude for the honour bestowed on her late husband and the appreciation the nation had shown towards his contribution to the liberation struggle.

"I am happy that he has been honoured in this way, [but] he was not the only one who fought for our freedom. It is events like these in honour of our freedom fighters that truly show that we indeed are free," she said.

Transport Minister Jeff Radebe said by renaming the airport, the country wished to present the world an icon of its history, an expression of the country's collective and profound respect in the manner in which it honoured its fallen heroes.

"OR represents in many ways the unity of our long and arduous struggle against injustices," he said.