Professor Thulisile (Thuli) Madonsela is the Director of the Centre for Social Justice in the Faculty of Law at Stellenbosch University and the Law Trust Research Chair in Social Justice Studies. She is the founder of the Thuma Foundation for Democracy Leadership and Literacy and a member of the African Academy of Sciences. She recently joined the United Nations Scientific Advisory Board and serves as Chairperson of Cities Alliance. She is also a member of the International Anti-Corruption Advisory Council and Global Justice Leaders.
Professor Madonsela previously served as South Africa’s Public Protector and as a full-time Commissioner of the South African Law Reform Commission. She was one of the eleven technical experts involved in drafting the Constitution of South Africa and contributed to the development of key constitutional legislation, including the Equality Act, the Employment Equity Act, and the Promotion of Administrative Justice Act.
Her work is grounded in applied constitutional, administrative, and social justice law, informed by extensive public service experience and her investigations into state conduct while serving as Public Protector. A sought-after keynote speaker, she has written, taught, and published widely on constitutional governance, ethical leadership, good governance, and gender mainstreaming.
Professor Madonsela has also contributed to the drafting of international human rights instruments at the United Nations, African Union, and SADC levels. She teaches Constitutional Law, Social Justice Law, Administrative Law, and Constitutional Governance and Ethical Leadership. Her academic credentials include two law degrees, eight honorary doctorates in law, a Harvard Advanced Leadership Certificate, and other postgraduate qualifications.
In 2014, she was named one of TIME magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World. She has over 70 awards including the Rotary Paul Harris Award, the Commonwealth Lawyers’ Truth and Justice Award, and the global ACFE Cressey Award.
Beyond her professional accomplishments, Professor Madonsela is a philanthropist and mountaineer. She has summited Mount Kilimanjaro twice in support of the #Trek4Mandela – #Caring4Girls campaign to combat period poverty and continues to advocate for social justice through initiatives such as #Action4Inclusion, which addresses student debt.