Rock heroes who helped us to overcome

When Annie Lennox, Stevie Wonder, Quincy Jones, Sting, Bono and others have toured South Africa, my desire has always been to create a big fanfare upon their arrival, hold a ticker-tape parade and announce to the nation: "This is who they are to us, this is what they did for us!" To say to all and sundry that these are not just musicians - these are champions of human rights who also play music.

Since the dawn of our democracy, many international artists who supported the struggle have toured South Africa. For some it has been a deeply moving and fulfilling experience because they were instrumental in our liberation. Bruce Springsteen and Steven van Zandt, touring here for the first time this week, are cultural freedom fighters who, in the dark days of struggle, took up our cause and used their musical talents, fame and cultural activism as weapons of liberty.

When I was in exile in London in the late 1970s, there was a social scene comprising young artists and musicians. There were many aspiring artists with a social conscience who would ask: "What can I do?" I would say: "Come to the next anti-apartheid demonstration." And they would say: "No Dali, I am not a placard-waver!" I would often reply: "Then do what you do best. You're a singer, so why not write a song? You're a painter, why not paint?" I felt that by doing what they did best in life, they would make a greater contribution than they would by adding their feet to a demonstration. Like Springsteen and Van Zandt, most of the musicians of that era were socially and politically fully awake.

I was also conscious that it was important for young people to know that the pop stars they so admired had values and principles, which often began with being against racism. Because it made that pop fan think about what is apartheid? Why are George Michael, Annie Lennox and Sting against it? And where do I as a citizen and voter stand?

The result was that I founded Artists Against Apartheid with Jerry Dammers, who had previously composed the Free Nelson Mandela chart-topper in the early 1980s. Our purpose was to turn the good intentions held by so many - from student bands to top British pop stars - into a fist of united anti-apartheid cultural activism that would contribute to awareness of our struggle and the UN cultural boycott.

It is a particular pleasure to have among us Van Zandt, who became a friend when I lived in New York in the mid-1980s. He is a man of intellect and extremely well read - a natural activist whose irritation with injustice propelled him to the causes of Native American rights and South African liberation, among others. He is rare indeed and has been noble in deed.

It was not just that Van Zandt composed the freedom song Sun City, or that he gathered more than 50 artists to perform on the album. His brilliance was in turning each of those 50 artists into an ambassador for our cause. Each artist, having performed on the album, would have to explain to their band members, their record company, their fans and the public why they had participated and what they found so abhorrent about apartheid.

John F Kennedy said: "We must find time to stop and thank the people who make a difference in our lives." I wish therefore, on behalf of all who allow me to speak for them, to thank Van Zandt and Springsteen for joining our ranks at the barricades of freedom. Thank you, forever and sincerely. Enjoy and welcome to a free South Africa.

• Dali Tambo is a broadcaster