Thuli Madonsela is a South African lawyer who helped draft the Constitution in the 1990s. On 19 October 2009, she was appointed Public Protector by President Jacob Zuma (President from 9 May 2009 to 14 February 2018) for a non-renewable seven-year term from 19 October 2009 to 14 October 2016.
As Public Protector, she earned a reputation for her integrity, courage and commitment to justice and political accountability, notably in the Nkandla case (2011-2012), during which she denounced President Jacob Zuma’s excessive spending. Her reputation as an anti-corruption fighter has made her an emblematic figure in the defence of human rights and good governance in South Africa and beyond. The Public Protector is an independent institution in South Africa that plays an essential role in protecting citizens' rights and promoting good governance, by monitoring public administration and investigating citizens' complaints about abuse of power, corruption and mismanagement.
With the unanimous support of the political parties in the National Assembly, Thuli Madonsela, the “anti-corruption lady”, became head of state Jacob Zuma’s worst nightmare because of her courage, tenacity and the accuracy of her investigations.
When her term of office ended, she became Chair of Social Justice in the Faculty of Law at the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa, a position she still holds.
She has received several awards. In 2014, Time magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world. In 2015, she received an honorary doctorate of laws from the University of Fort Hare and the University of Stellenbosch. The Champion initiative’s panel of judges nominated her for embodying the institutionalisation of good governance as recalled by: Article 32 of the CADEG stipulates that “States Parties shall take the necessary measures to institutionalise good political governance”. Article 13 of the CADEG stipulates that “States Parties shall take measures to establish and maintain political and social dialogue, as well as transparency and trust between political leaders and the people, with a view to consolidating democracy and peace”. Today, Thuli Madonsela embodies integrity, courage, true republican ethos and the commitment to the fight against corruption. She has received several distinctions. In 2014, Time magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world. In 2015, she was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Fort Hare and the University of Stellenbosch.