Reflections on 35 years since the end of Apartheid
Join Lord Peter Hain, Thuli Madonsela, and Ashraf Garda for a profound dialogue on South Africa’s journey. The discussion will revisit the triumphs of dismantling apartheid while also confronting the unfinished work of achieving true equality. Together, they will examine challenges of inequality, corruption, and reconciliation inspiring a renewed commitment to freedom, truth and accountability.
Speakers
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Professor Thuli MadonselaDirector, Centre for Social Justice, Stellenbosch University and Founder, the Thuma Foundation for Democracy Leadership and LiteracyProfessor Thuli Madonsela
Counsellor
Director, Centre for Social Justice, Stellenbosch University and Founder, the Thuma Foundation for Democracy Leadership and Literacy
Professor Thuli (Thulisile) Madonsela is the director of the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) in the Faculty of Law at Stellenbosch University and the Law Trust Research Chair Professor of Law 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 was recently appointed to the UN Scientific Advisory Board and as Chairperson of Cities Alliance. She also serves on the International Anticorruption Advisory Council and Global Justice Leaders. The former Public Protector of South Africa and full-time Commissioner in the South African Law Reform Commission, Prof. Madonsela was one of the 11 technical experts who helped draft the South African Constitution. She co-authored laws such as the Equality Act, Employment Equity Act, and Promotion of Administrative Justice Act. She has an extensive background in constitutional, social justice, and administrative law, shaped by her years in public service investigating improper conduct in state affairs. Prof. Madonsela has written, taught, and presented widely on these topics and on ethical leadership, good governance, and gender mainstreaming. She contributed to international human rights instruments at UN, AU, and SADC levels. She currently teaches Constitutional Law, Social Justice Law, Administrative Law, and Constitutional Governance and Ethical Leadership. She holds eight honorary law doctorates, two law degrees, a Harvard Advanced Leadership Certificate, and other postgraduate qualifications. Named one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People in 2014, she has received over 70 awards including the Rotary’s Paul Harris, Commonwealth Lawyers Truth and Justice, and ACFE Cressy Award. A mother of two and avid mountaineer, she has summited Mt. Kilimanjaro twice under #Trek4Mandela-#Caring4Girls and hikes for the #Action4Inclusion campaign to end student debt.
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Lord Peter HainFormer Anti-apartheid Campaigner and Member of the House of Lords, United KingdomLord Peter Hain
Counsellor
Former Anti-apartheid Campaigner and Member of the House of Lords, United Kingdom
The child of South African parents jailed, banned and forced into exile during the freedom struggle, aged 19 from 1969-70 Peter Hain led anti-apartheid campaigns to stop all-white South African sports tours – and in retaliation was sent a letter bomb, framed for a bank theft he knew nothing about and nearly imprisoned. MP for Neath from 1991-2015 and a Privy Councillor, he served in the UK Labour Government for 12 years, seven of these in the Cabinet. He negotiated the 2007 settlement to end the conflict in Northern Ireland and was a Foreign Minister with successive responsibilities for Africa, the Middle East and Europe. He has chaired the United Nations Security Council and negotiated international treaties. He was also Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Secretary of State for Wales, Leader of the House of Commons and Energy Minister. Author of 28 books, his latest is Liberation and Corruption: why freedom movements fail. His concise readable biography Mandela His Essential Life was published in 2018, his memoirs Outside In in 2012, and his anti-corruption thrillers The Rhino Conspiracy (2020) and its sequels The Elephant Conspiracy (2022) and The Lion Conspiracy (2024); also Fallout (2025). His South African memoir, A Pretoria Boy was published in 2021. Married with two sons and seven grandchildren, he has degrees from Queen Mary University London and Sussex University. He has lived in South Wales for well over 30 years.
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Ashraf GardaFounder, Champion South AfricaAshraf Garda
Counsellor
Founder, Champion South Africa
Ashraf Garda is the Conversation Architect - he uses the art of story telling and asking the questions that matter to break down concepts and to build consequential impactful conversations He is an authoritative talk show, a lengaging Programme Director and MC as well as an impactful keynote speaker and also a host on multiple digital platforms It is a measure of Ashraf’s national stature that he was appointed to serve his country as the MC for the opening day of the BRICS Summit of both 2023 and 2018 Ashraf’s purpose is to champion people because “champion people build champion nations”. Understandable then that he is at the Centre of conversations to find and embrace South Africa’s national purpose. The Champion South Africa project of which he serves a Chief Champion Spotter is a movement for change with the end goal to inspire the building of South Africa into a champion Nation. He is a member of the prestigious Council of Champions that forms part of the Centre for Social Justice chaired by Prof Thuli Madonsela , South Africa’s former Public Protector and he also serves on the judging panel for the annual Social Justice Champion Awards In 2023 he was chosen by the Treeshake movement as one of their 27 Changemakers working towards a more United nation . He is the host of The National Pulse on SAfm Radio in South Africa - a daily talk show between 3-6pm that connects him and his audience to the pulse of the nation. His level of versatility is manifested in his newly launched company Local Global Productions, a business that provides solutions in the fields of public speaking, contact creation, content sponsorship, social media sponsorship, event management , podcasting media training as well as hosting of moderating masterclasses .