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Scholar | Human Rights Commissioner | Public Intellectual

Media Interviews
In opinion pieces, interviews, and other public provocations, Tshepo Madlingozi speaks directly to the political questions of the moment. From podcasts to print and broadcast, his interventions challenge power, interrogate injustice, and insist on accountability.

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![[Channel Africa] Botswana's repeal of colonial-era laws that criminalised same-sex relations](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b8ee4c_a86806fff29742ddb9b356690861079a~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_333,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_35,blur_30,enc_avif,quality_auto/b8ee4c_a86806fff29742ddb9b356690861079a~mv2.webp)
![[Channel Africa] Botswana's repeal of colonial-era laws that criminalised same-sex relations](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b8ee4c_a86806fff29742ddb9b356690861079a~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_514,h_386,fp_0.50_0.50,q_95,enc_avif,quality_auto/b8ee4c_a86806fff29742ddb9b356690861079a~mv2.webp)
[Channel Africa] Botswana's repeal of colonial-era laws that criminalised same-sex relations
South African Human Rights Commissioner Tshepo Madlingozi joined Channel Africa's Peter Ndoro to discuss Botswana’s historic repeal of laws criminalising same-sex relationships. The move builds on a landmark 2019 High Court ruling that decriminalised same-sex relations and has been widely celebrated as a significant advance for human rights and equality in the region. Watch full interview here:
May 20


The SAHRC launches a Rights-and-Responsibilities Campaign and calls for an Afrocentric notion of Human Rights and Freedom
By Tshepo Madlingozi and Lee-Anne Germanos Manuel As Freedom Month draws to a close, we would do well to remember Madiba’s words: "The time has come to accept in our hearts and minds that with freedom comes responsibility.” Nelson Mandela spoke these words in 1995 during the State of the Nation address. It could be said that Mandela was invoking a notion of freedom that goes beyond the Eurocentric and liberal model. The Botho/Ubuntu notion of freedom conceptualises freedom as
Apr 29
![[Daily Maverick] Disinformation is a grave threat to democracy](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b8ee4c_5fb565ff8d324c7ba2db67e8a8da8634~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_333,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_avif,quality_auto/b8ee4c_5fb565ff8d324c7ba2db67e8a8da8634~mv2.webp)
![[Daily Maverick] Disinformation is a grave threat to democracy](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b8ee4c_5fb565ff8d324c7ba2db67e8a8da8634~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_514,h_386,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_avif,quality_auto/b8ee4c_5fb565ff8d324c7ba2db67e8a8da8634~mv2.webp)
[Daily Maverick] Disinformation is a grave threat to democracy
This month, on 15 September, parliaments, national human rights institutions and civil society around the world observed the International Day of Democracy, declared as such by the UN General Assembly in 2007. This year’s observation also serves as a reminder of the need to promote and protect democracy against increased threats to it – the likes of which we are witnessing globally, and in our country.
Sep 30, 2025
![[Groundup] What the SA Human Rights Commission is doing to advance queer rights](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b8ee4c_7e9602e0893c4e50bf6a1e78108b5c18~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_333,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_35,blur_30,enc_avif,quality_auto/b8ee4c_7e9602e0893c4e50bf6a1e78108b5c18~mv2.webp)
![[Groundup] What the SA Human Rights Commission is doing to advance queer rights](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b8ee4c_7e9602e0893c4e50bf6a1e78108b5c18~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_514,h_386,fp_0.50_0.50,q_95,enc_avif,quality_auto/b8ee4c_7e9602e0893c4e50bf6a1e78108b5c18~mv2.webp)
[Groundup] What the SA Human Rights Commission is doing to advance queer rights
Based on the prevalence of discrimination and the perpetration of violence against the LGBTQIA+ community, it is evident that we still have a long way to go to achieve substantive equality, but as we shift our focus towards prioritising the changing of hearts and minds through proactive interventions and restorative justice, we may be closer than ever to walking the path to equality, and experiencing pride in true change. Read the full article here: https://groundup.org.za/
Jul 1, 2025
![[Sunday Times] Finishing line beckons in Semenya's biggest contest](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b8ee4c_c851045ed0014253a47a372def46cdb8~mv2.webp/v1/fill/w_333,h_250,al_c,q_30,blur_30,enc_avif,quality_auto/b8ee4c_c851045ed0014253a47a372def46cdb8~mv2.webp)
![[Sunday Times] Finishing line beckons in Semenya's biggest contest](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b8ee4c_c851045ed0014253a47a372def46cdb8~mv2.webp/v1/fill/w_514,h_386,al_c,q_90,enc_avif,quality_auto/b8ee4c_c851045ed0014253a47a372def46cdb8~mv2.webp)
[Sunday Times] Finishing line beckons in Semenya's biggest contest
The highly anticipated judgment this week will have far-reaching implications. The implication for intersex people and the recognition of their equal right to pursue a profession in sports is critical. The judgment will set the tone for future sporting regulation. Hopefully, it will ensure that human rights are and promoted by sporting bodies all over the world.
May 10, 2024
![[Power fm] Leadership Dialogue: Professor Tshepo Madlingozi](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b8ee4c_3db9960ab6be4703987d8e8b1471a79a~mv2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_251,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,lg_1,q_30,blur_30,enc_avif,quality_auto/b8ee4c_3db9960ab6be4703987d8e8b1471a79a~mv2.webp)
![[Power fm] Leadership Dialogue: Professor Tshepo Madlingozi](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b8ee4c_3db9960ab6be4703987d8e8b1471a79a~mv2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_225,h_224,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_avif,quality_auto/b8ee4c_3db9960ab6be4703987d8e8b1471a79a~mv2.webp)
[Power fm] Leadership Dialogue: Professor Tshepo Madlingozi
Professor Tshepo Madlingozi, a Commissioner at the South African Human Rights Commission, has been actively involved in various civil society organizations and initiatives, including the Rural Democracy Trust, Khulumani Support Group, and the African Coalition for Corporate Accountability (ACCA). For a significant period from 2015 to 2018, Professor Madlingozi dedicated his efforts to the Khulumani Support Group, serving as the National Advocacy Coordinator and later as Chair
Mar 22, 2024
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