What next for Thuli Madonsela?

14 October 2016 - 20:07 By Roxanne Henderson

Outgoing Public Protector Thuli Madonsela has no ambitions to enter politics but will continue to help people fight for their rights. Madonsela spoke about her future plans on Friday as she reached the final day of her seven-year non-renewable term. Looking ahead‚ she said she would take a year-long sabbatical and finally return to the bar to practice law. "Where to from here? It's back to protecting the public without being a public protector. I've always been in civil society. My entire history has been about helping people to vindicate their rights. And that I will do‚ the best I know how‚ focusing on issues such as social justice‚ constitutionalism and the rule of law."But that will have to wait for a whole year because next year I'm on a sabbatical. I'm talking to one university about the possibility of (joining) the cause of people I refer to as has-beens."In the following year‚ which is 2018‚ I will be at the bar practicing law and teaching at a university."The book I'll write next year when I'm busy with the has-beens."Although helping people vindicate their rights has always been at the top of Madonsela's priority list‚ she will not enter politics to do it."I don't have political ambition. I have always been involved though in helping people to engage properly with democratic processes‚ to vindicate their rights. That I will do‚ but not as a public office bearer in any political organisation‚" she said.Madonsela used the platform to congratulate her successor Busisiwe Mkhwebane‚ who will take office on Saturday.When asked about releasing her state capture report in the absence of an interdict preventing her from doing so‚ she said she had voluntarily agreed that the report be preserved and placed in safekeeping.She said releasing it on Friday would have been underhanded.Madonsela was due to release the report on Friday‚ but separate applications to interdict its release by Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Des van Rooyen and President Jacob Zuma delayed the process.The report is now with the speaker of Parliament for safeguarding...

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