She ’ s shy, soft spoken and A HECTIC SURPRISE
Thuli Madonsela is a busy woman. It’s nearly impossible to get an interview with her.
So I’m relieved to find myself seated in the waiting room at the Public Protector’s house in Pretoria. And wait we do. Her spokesperson Oupa keeps apologising, saying Ms Madonsela is tying up some loose ends.
Forty five minutes later, we are shown to her office.
She reaches for my hand, looks me in the eye and apologises. Then flicks her fingers through her hair.
“I hope my make-up still looks OK. Or should I quickly brush up?” she asks. We assure her she looks fab.
She does too, in a stunning black and gold jacket, black pants and nude stilettos.
That out of the way, I fire my first question: “When do you sleep?” She smiles.
“I do sleep, believe it or not,” she says light-heartedly.
But her impossible schedule allows her to shut her eyes for only four to five hours.
“I usually get home at about 10pm or later. Then I’m up at about 4am to catch up on work.”
That must be unfair on her kids? She assures me she makes as much time as possible for them.
“You won’t believe the lengths I go to. There are times when I find myself watching
Gossip Girl and Generations or listening to Pink (US pop star) – and even Big Brother!” She’s so funny when she says that – nothing like the serious, heavy madam I’d expected.
I look curiously around her office. It’s massive and beautifully done and the warm brown tones make it welcoming. One almost feels like one’s sitting in a living room at home.
Except it’s radically neat. Not a paper out of place.
I ask where she was before this job.
Behind-the-scenes, it turns out, such as researching and advising during the democracy preparations in the early 90s. Working for the Centre for Applied Legal Studies at Wits, they provided the background research work for the Constitution, especially around women’s rights and gender equality.
Maybe that’s why the media is so obsessed with her. She says she’s grateful but the constant spotlight makes the job harder.
As for all the groupie love, “I never know how to handle it. Public speaking freaks me out, let me tell you. I can write endlessly – but speaking!”
I lean close every time she speaks ’ cos her voice is so soft I can barely hear her. Does she ever raise her voice?
Another hearty laugh. She looks down demurely and almost whispers: You know I believe when you speak like this you get the message across. People listen better than when you’re screaming and shouting.”
So soft-spoken she is that she didn’t even scream at her 23-year-old son Wanda when he crashed her state BMW X6 in February.
“I think it’s because I was speechless,” she says, getting serious. “I almost passed out when I realised both my son and car were missing at 4.30am.
“I was only told an hour later. By that time the scene had been cleared and the cops had taken statements.
“I wanted to strangle him, but I didn’t shout.”
She expresses her relief at the media’s absence on that day.
“Imagine the drama!” I’m impressed at the ease with which she answers all my questions, particularly on her personal life.
Such as: “I’m not seeing anyone and I’m not looking, so any potential suitors can back off for now.”
What about her social life? Turns out most of her friends are advocates, meaning all they talk about is law, law, law. Oh, dear.
“Of course I don’t frequent restaurants, but on weekends I tend to host a lunch or a dinner. I make the most delicious curries, especially prawn curry.”
She touches her hair again, I reassure her it looks good.
She tells me she’s paranoid because of a comment comedian Trevor Noah made about a hairstyle she had a month ago.
“He compared it to steel wool. Can you imagine?” She bursts out laughing. Ah, she’s just one of the girls.