Commissioner Lourens Mushwana is currently the Chairperson of the SAHRC. He previously served a controversial term as the Public Protector and his R7 million golden handshake was greeted with shock by many in the public.

 

In 2011, the Supreme Court of appeal put aside his report on Oilgate and stated regarding Mushwana's report on Oilgate: “The public protector must not only discover the truth, but must also inspire confidence that the truth has been discovered,” The SCA had no difficulty in setting aside Mushwana’s report. Furthermore, the SCA stated that "the ultimate test of the protector’s mettle is his or her ability to work “without fear, favour or prejudice”, an imperative that is non-negotiable and required by section 181(2) of the Constitution". Despite the controversies of his term as Public Protector, Mushwana went on to be appointed in 2009 as Chair of SAHRC despite questions about his ability to work without fear, favour or prejudice.

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 Mushwana is a qualified lawyer with a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Zululand. From 1972 to 1975 he worked as an interpreter at the Bushbuckridge Magistrate's Court. From 1992 until 2003 he worked as an attorney with Mushwana Attorneys. He is a member of the African National Congress, serving on the Limpopo Provincial Executive from 1994 to 2002, and on the National Executive from 1999 until 2002. From 1999 to 2002 he was also the Deputy Chair of the National Council of Provinces. He was appointed as the South African Public Protector in 2002 and at the end of his term in 2009 he left to Chair the South African Human Rights Commission

 

Under his stewardship as the current SAHRC Chairperson, the SAHRC has often been silent on many issues and invisible to the public. Recently, Mushwana has been accussed of being lenient to the Zulu King on perceived xenophobic statements made. No public statement has been issued by the SAHRC on the deaths of 37 persons with psychosocial disabilities despite the SAHRC being notified of the impending tragedy in March 2016. These recent events reflect a SAHRC that is in dire need of strong leadership. See his full CV by clicking on photo below:

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