Milestones

She studied zoology and botany at the University of Zululand, obtaining a BSc before going on to complete her medical degree at the University of Bristol in the UK. Later she obtained a diploma in tropical child health from the University of Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine.

She was the driving force behind the Tobacco Products Control Amendment Act of 1999, which made it illegal for anyone to smoke in public buildings.

Dlamini-Zuma served as AU Commission chairwoman in Addis Ababa from October 2012 to March 2017. After handing over to Chadian diplomat Moussa Faki Mahamat, she published a book, The African Union Commission Under the Leadership of Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, a compendium of the organisation’s actions and achievements during her tenure.