Andrew England writing in the FT:
More hereWhen President Jacob Zuma appointed Thuli Madonsela as South Africa’s public protector in 2009, he could not have predicted what he was getting. Today the first woman to hold the role is revered by many as a crusader who boldly took on the most powerful office in the country — Zuma’s own presidency — in her dogged determination to root out corruption. Along the way, Madonsela, 53, has revealed toughness while exuding an understated air. Dressed in a red top and black trousers, with her hair in a trademark bob, she greets me in her Pretoria office, which is littered with awards and accolades. She speaks in soft, measured tones but with confidence. “There are friends that no longer want to be seen to be associating with me,” she says. “When you meet them … we hug, we kiss, we speak nicely but for their own careers they would think that being seen to be too close to me might be a career-limiting move.”
