Office of the Commissioners
Commissioners provide guidance in developing the vision of the institution by setting its priorities and ensuring that its policies, programmes and allocated resources are consistent with their vision. This is done through exercising good corporate governance and providing leadership and guidance on the professional work of the Commission. Commissioners hold fortnightly performance reporting meetings with the CEO to oversee the quarterly plenary reporting processes.
The Commissioners are the public face of the Commission, representing the organisation at national, regional and international fora. They also interact with local communities and stakeholders at the national level in order to address human rights issues. In addition to the policy and legislative mandates of the Commission, Commissioners have adopted a document called the Human Rights Matrix.
The Human Rights Matrix tracks the various human rights obligations of South Africa at the international, regional and domestic levels. It is a tool that assists in identification of the Commissioners’ strategic focus areas and priorities. It assists in identifying the unique role of the Commission as a national human rights institution.
The strategic priority areas in the Human Rights Matrix were identified, discussed and integrated into the Strategic Plan. Each Commissioner is assigned a specific province and United Nations treaty body.
Chris Nissen
Chris Nissen holds a Joint Board Diploma in Theology from the Federal Theological Seminary in Pietermaritzburg obtained in 1980. He then graduated with a Bachelor of Arts, Honours degree from the University of Cape Town in 1988. His dissertation: An Investigation into the supposed loss of Khoikhoi Traditional Religious Heritage, earned him his Masters of Arts degree in 1990. Due to his work, Mr. Nissen has been honoured by having streets named after him as well as a school in Knysna.
Mr. Nissen was ordained as a Minister of the Uniting Presbyterian Church of South Africa in 1981 and served in congregations as far afield as Limpopo Province, Eastern Cape and the Western Cape. He worked for the Western Province Council of Churches in the 1980s, leading the Standing for the Truth Campaign. He also attended HIV/AIDS training in Canada in 1991 on behalf of the South African Council of Churches.
During the 1980s and 1990s, Mr. Nissen did extensive work as a community organiser in communities such as Graaf Reinett, Eerste River Advice Office, Macassar, Die Bos (now named after him as, Chris Nissen Park) and Sir Lowry’s Pass Village. He supported communities in various human rights issues such as housing and access to land. Due to his work, Mr. Nissen has been honoured by having streets named after him as well as a school in Knysna.
After years of ecumenical, community and political organisation based work, Mr. Nissen was appointed as a Member of the Western Cape Provincial Legislature, served as Deputy Speaker, served as MEC of Economic Affairs and was National Co-ordinator of the Mashakane Campaign for the Department of Constitutional Development from 1994 to 1999.
Philile Ntuli
Human Rights questions that currently concern Ms Ntuli relate to climate justice/injustice, the politics of land (access, use, and ownership), human relationships with nature, ‘greener’ economy/ies, and the nature of feminist leadership.
Prof. Tshepo Madlingozi
Dr. Henk Boshoff
Before this appointment, he served two successful terms as the Free State based Commissioner of the Public Service Commission of South Africa (PSC). He was appointed in 2014 for a five-year term, where after the President of Republic of South Africa reappointed him in 2019 for another five-year term.
He was employed in local government for eighteen (18) years and has a proven record of accomplishment, at the municipalities where he was employed as a senior manager (including accounting officer), of clean governance and being at the forefront of ensuring visible service delivery. These municipalities include the Motheo District Municipality and the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality.
He served on the following statutory Councils as a Council/Board member:
• National Heritage Council of South Africa
• Free State Gambling and Liquor Authority
Elspeth Nomahlubi Berlinda Khwinana
Advocate Sandra Selokela Makoasha
Aseza Arthur Gungubele
Mr. Gungubele holds a national diploma in Retail Business Management from Cape Peninsula University of Technology, an Advanced National Diploma in Public Administration, and a Bachelor of Administration Honours degree in the University of Western Cape.