South Africa’s Public Protector Thuli Madonsela’s fame has spread far beyond her nation’s borders. As the story below highlights, the lady who dared expose the Nkandla scandal has been honoured in a list of the world’s 100 most influential people – global recognition of the respect her courage has drawn from fellow citizens. She is the only South African to make Time’s 2014 list, one of ten Africans, with Nigerian Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and entrepreneur Aliko Dangote also among them. – AH
From the SA Press Association:
Public Protector Thuli Madonsela has been named in Time magazine’s annual list of the most 100 influential people in the world, her office said on Thursday.
“Humbled by the gesture, the public protector said she was taken by surprise that the modest efforts of her office were not only being recognised at home but elsewhere in the world too,” spokeswoman Kgalalelo Masibi said in a statement.
Madonsela said, like other accolades bestowed upon her, her inclusion in the American publication’s list was not just a recognition of her contribution as an individual.
“It is an acknowledgement of the selfless efforts of the public protector team at large.”
Madonsela said the team would continue to draw inspiration from the fact that their efforts in helping government find and eradicate maladministration did not go unnoticed.
Masibi said that according to Time, the list, now in its 11th year, recognised the activism, innovation and achievement of the world’s most influential individuals.
“The magazine describes Time 100 as ‘a list of the most influential people in the world’ and not a list of the most powerful or smartest people in the world,” she said.
Others included on the list were scientists, philosophers, leaders, icons, artists and visionaries.
“These were people who were ‘using their ideas, their visions [and] their actions to transform the world and have an effect on a multitude of people’,” Masibi said.
The full list would appear in the May 5 issue of Time.
Madonsela, along with the other people selected for the list, have been invited to attend the Time 100 Gala in New York on Tuesday, April 29, where the list will be officially announced.
Masibi said: “She plans to use the opportunity to meet and share good practice and experiences with the officials from the World Bank’s Anti-Corruption Unit, the office of the New York Inspector General and the Washington DC Investigation Unit, among other people.” – SAPA
