Advocate Dumisa Ntsebeza SC reappointed for another five-year term as UFH Chancellor

The University of Fort Hare Council has approved the re-appointment of Advocate Dumisa Ntsebeza SC as Chancellor of the University for another five years.

Adv Ntsebeza was originally appointed Chancellor in 2017, joining the list of luminaries that have occupied this seat before, such as Makhenkesi Stofile, Justice Thembile Skweyiya, Govan Mbeki, Sibusiso Bhengu and Oliver Tambo. 

Born in Cala in the Eastern Cape, Adv Ntsebeza was admitted as an attorney in 1984 practicing in the Eastern Cape, mainly in the area of human rights. He represented several political prisoners throughout the 1980’s and 1990’s. In 1995 he was appointed as Commissioner of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) where he became Head of the TRC’s Investigative Unit and Head of its Witness Protection programme.

He has been instrumental in the founding and leading of various structures and organisation in South African legal fraternity, such as Founder and President of the National Association of Democratic Lawyers (NADEL) and President of the Black Lawyers Association (BLA), just to mention a few.

He served as a Commissioner on the United Nations International Commission of Inquiry in Darfur, a position he was appointed to by the then UN Secretary-General, Mr Kofi Annan. In 2012 he was appointed by the Socio-Economic Rights Institute (SERI), as Lead Counsel on behalf of the families of the 37 Marikana miners who were killed by the police.

 Since his original appointment as Chancellor, Adv Ntsebeza has received further recognition in several areas, such as his nomination and appointment as Ombudsman by Cricket South Africa.  Recently, he was also appointed as a Judge of the African Court for Human and Peoples’ Rights.

Adv Ntsebeza serves as a Council member of the University of Cape Town and has chaired the SAICA Ethics Inquiry. He was nominated by Rhodes University for a Doctor of Law [LLD (honoris causa)], which was conferred at the April 2021 graduation ceremony in recognition of his outstanding lifetime achievements and contributions to society, locally and internationally.

He has also been appointed by the South African Parliament to a three-member panel chaired by retired Constitutional Court Judge Bess Nkabinde to investigate the fitness of the Public Protector to hold her position.

UFH Council Chairperson Bishop Ivan M Abrahams said: “Adv Ntsebeza is an illustrious alumnus of our institution and an outstanding citizen of South Africa. We are grateful that he remains willing to serve his alma mater in this important capacity.”