PIONEER
Brigitte Mabandla
Legal advisor | ANCWL member | Activist for children’s rights
Born :23 November 1948
“Our Constitution is proudly home-grown"
Who is
Brigitte Mabandla?
Legal advisor to the ANC Legal and Constitutional Affairs Department, specialising in children’s rights, human rights, and constitutional affairs, as well as a member of the ANC’s Constitutional Committee and negotiating team. Served in various ministerial positions since 1994.
Professions
and Roles
Politician, legal advisor, activist for women’s and children’s rights, Chairperson of the National Orders Advisory Council, member of the High-Level Legislative Review Committee, Minister of Public Enterprise.
Best Known For
Member of the African National Congress’ (ANC’s) constitutional committee, as well as a founding member of the National Committee for the Rights of the Child (NCRC).
Life highlights
- Mabandla studied Law and holds an LLB degree from the University of Zambia.
- Mabandla worked as a youth coordinator at the Institute of Race Relations in Durban in the mid-1970s.
- Mabandla lectured Law and English at the Botswana Polytechnic from 1981 until 1983, and Commercial Law at the Botswana Institute of Administration and Commerce from 1983 to 1986.
- Mabandla then served as the legal advisor to the ANC Legal and Constitutional Affairs Department from 1986 to 1990, specialising in children’s rights, human rights, and constitutional affairs. She was included as a member of the ANC’s Constitutional Committee and negotiating team from 1990 to 1994.
- In 1994, she became a member of the High-Level Legislative Review Committee, reviewing laws and policies introduced to Parliament.
- Mabandla was a founder of the National Committee for the Rights of the Child and travelled worldwide promoting children’s rights.
- Mabandla served as Deputy Minister of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology from 1995 to 2003, as Minister of Housing from 2003 to 2004, as Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development from 2004 to 2008 and as Minister of Public Enterprise from 2008 to 2009.
- Mabandla was appointed to the APR Panel of Eminent Persons by the APRM Forum Heads of State in 2015. She was appointed as the Chairperson of the National Orders Advisory Council in 2014.
IN THEIR OWN WORDS
“Our Constitution is proudly home-grown, and provides the context for a fundamental reconstruction of South Africa and for the eradication of the systemic legacy of apartheid and colonialism.”
– Brigitte Mabandla
IN THE WORDS OF OTHERS
“Our leaders … Brigitte Mabandla, were an invaluable resource, because they had international experience and had been at the core of our struggle.”
– Naledi Pandor, Minister of Science and Technology
Mabandla initiated the concept of open and winter schooling, enabling children from all racial groups to participate in educational programmes in the 1970s.
References
