“I used to stay in a shack and used a bucket toilet and all of that has contributed to shaping who I am today, because it has made me to be content with the little that I had,” he says. Although his mother did not have that much money, she still wanted the best for him and knew that sending him to a school, where he would receive good quality education, was the only way out of poverty. “I was able to attend a former Model C school, which enabled me to be where I am today,” he says.

He adds that he had to learn to cope with his environment.

“My mother was passionate about education and how you could use education to live a better life and bring about social change,” she says.

While in high school, Jones says he looked up to people such as former Deputy Chief Justice Dikgang Moseneke and was inspired by the contribution that they were making.

After finishing high school, he decided to study law. “Because I grew up in an environment that was not dignified, I wanted to make a difference in South Africa. I believe in making a positive contribution,” he says.

He finished his LLB degree at the University of South Africa in 2007 and also did his Masters in Corporate Law at the same university. He was admitted as an attorney in 2009.

After three-and-a-half years of being a criminal attorney and even though he was making a difference, Jones was yearning for more. This lead him to the Human Rights Commission. The commission, which was set up on 2 October 1995. is tasked with educating the public about human rights and addressing human rights violation, among other things.

“The work is fulfilling, even though people question our role. We play an important role. The work that we do presents us with an opportunity to change the lives of South Africans and all the people who reside within the borders of South Africa,” he says.

However, challenges such as a lack of resources sometimes hinder the work of the commission.

“The notion that the commission is toothless is rather upsetting, given our budget constraints. Also, given the challenges that we have as a country,” he says.

He adds that this affects the effectiveness of the organisation. To overcome the obstacles, Jones says they’ve had to collaborate with NGOs. He says the aim is to ensure that the commission is more visible and accessible to the masses.

Source: Destiny Man