Thuli Madonsela
2016 CIVIL SOCIETY NEWSMAKER: Protector extraordinaire
Thuli Madonsela was seldom out of the news with her fearless efforts to check the powerful and fight for justice. She has been a symbol of hope in a turbulent and distressing year for SA
Outside government and business, SA has a rich seam of civil society organisations dedicated to strengthening democracy and safeguarding citizens’ rights and interests. A number of such organisations made headlines in 2016. Chief among them were: Freedom Under Law through its chairman Johann Kriegler (a former constitutional court judge); Helen Suzman Foundation director Francis Antonie; the Council for the Advancement of the SA Constitution (Casac) and its executive secretary Lawson Naidoo; and, latterly, the Save SA campaign, notably through the outspoken calls by one of its founders, Sipho Pityana, for President Jacob Zuma to step down for failing to uphold the constitution. ANC stalwart Pityana is the chairman of AngloGold Ashanti and of Casac and a former DG of labour and of foreign affairs. But the person who dominated this sphere and had the biggest impact was Thuli Madonsela. The former public protector is the Financial Mail’s civil society newsmaker of the year. We chose Ma...
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