Winning! South African Public Protector, Thuli Madonsela has been honoured by TIME Magazine as one of the most influential 100 people in the world. The full list will appear in the May issue of Time. Recognition well deserved.
She holds a prestigious and equally demanding title in the land and she has risen to her expectations as the people's Public Protector. Her most recent report which concluded findings about President Jacob Zuma's Nkadla's residence created a buzz and opened dialogue across the country.
Madonsela, along with the other influential people on the list have been invited to attend the Time 100 Gala in New York on April 29, where the list will be officially announced.
Advocate Madonsela had this to say about the announcement:
“Like several other accolades that have been bestowed on me, my inclusion in the Time 100 list is not only a recognition of my contribution as an individual, it is an acknowledgement of the selfless efforts of the Public Protector team at large."
In an article published in 2012 in Oprah Magazine South Africa, Thuli Madonsela wrote a letter to her 16 year old self. Checkout the article HERE. In the letter to her 16 year old self, she highlighted how she wasn't the fairest of them all, how her sisters got all the comments about how beautiful they were. She focused on her academics and when it came to any remarks about her, they were academically related.
That letter broke my heart, as a teenager such things can hinder your self esteem but I'm glad she rose up over subjective physical attributes like beauty; she focused on her education and was an excellent achiever and look where and who she is now?
This same woman was part of the drafting of the new constitution that saw Nelson Mandela become the first black President in the new democratic South Africa.
I'm certain the 16 year old Thuli is very proud of her.
Congratulations Public Protector. We are INSPIRED!
Photo Credit: Joburgpressclub