LSSA congratulates Thuli Madonsela on Commonwealth Rule of Law Award
The Law Society of South Africa (LSSA) congratulates former Public Protector Adv Thuli Madonsela on being selected as the recipient of the 3rd Commonwealth Law Conference Rule of Law Award. Ms Madonsela will accept the award at the closing ceremony of the 20th Commonwealth Law Conference in Melbourne, Australia, being held from 20 to 24 March 2017.
‘The LSSA, which is a member of the Commonwealth Lawyers Association, nominated Ms Madonsela for the award. We are delighted and proud that this worthy South African lawyer will receive international recognition from her peers across the Commonwealth for her work in protecting our Constitution and promoting the concept of the Rule of Law – that all are equal before the law – to all South Africans,’ say LSSA Co-Chairpersons Jan van Rensburg and Mvuzo Notyesi.
The LSSA aligns itself with the views expressed by the Commonwealth Lawyers Association (view CLA press release): ‘In her seven years as Public Protector, Advocate Madonsela demonstrated to ordinary South Africans that there is merit in pursuing the truth, regardless of the obstacles, and that justice can and will prevail. … Advocate Madonsela created a beacon of hope for all South Africans in ensuring that the public was not only aware of the public abuse of power, but also that they had recourse against it.’
The Commonwealth Lawyers Association (CLA) partners with LexisNexis in presenting the biennial Commonwealth Law Conference Rule of Law Award which recognises an individual, institution or firm or lawyers who have made an outstanding contribution to the rule of law which has an impact both within their own country and to the broader Commonwealth. The CLA says its judging panel found Ms Madonsela to be a very worthy winner who demonstrates the attributes this award seeks to foster within the Commonwealth.
The two previous winners of the Commonwealth Law Conference Rule of Law Award have been Ms Robin Sully from Canada and Mr Upul Jayasuriya from Sri Lanka.
• The Commonwealth Lawyers Association (CLA) exists to maintain and promote the rule of law throughout the Commonwealth by ensuring that an independent and efficient legal profession serves the people of the Commonwealth. More about the CLA
• More about the Commonwealth Law Conference Rule of Law Award.
• The CLA holds a biennial conference, the last being held in Glasgow, Scotland in April, 2015 and before that in Cape Town in 2013. The conference upholds the tradition of bringing together judges, lawyers and legal professionals from throughout the Commonwealth. More about the 20th Commonwealth Law Conference, Melbourne, Australia, 20 to 24 March 2017.
ISSUED ON BEHALF OF THE CO-CHAIRPERSONS OF THE LAW SOCIETY OF SOUTH AFRICA, JAN VAN RENSBURG AND MVUZO NOTYESI
by the Law Society of South Africa Communication Department
Tel: (012) 366 8800
Contact:
Barbara Whittle, Communication Manager, (012) 366 8800 or 083 380 1307; barbara@LSSA.org.za
Nomfundo Manyathi-Jele, Communications Officer, (012) 366 8800 or 072 402 6344; nomfundom@LSSA.org.za
