Mrs. Lindiwe Khumalo has formally assumed her duties as Clerk of the Pan-African Parliament, after taking the oath of office during a ceremony held on Thursday at the Parliament’s headquarters in Midrand, South Africa. The oath was administered by the President of the Pan-African Parliament, Hon. Chief Fortune Charumbira.
Mrs. Khumalo becomes the first woman to take charge of the Secretariat of the Continental Parliament since the institution’s establishment in 2004. Her appointment was endorsed by the Plenary, the highest decision-making structure of the Pan-African Parliament, in June this year. This was in accordance with Rule 17 (f) of the Rules of Procedure, following a competitive process to fill the position that had remained vacant for over a year.
Mrs. Khumalo will be responsible for providing leadership in the management of the Pan-African Parliament’s corporate services, finances, and general administrative requirements ensuring that Parliament’s internal day-to-day operations run smoothly. She will also oversee the practical implementation of the Bureau’s commitment to “revive, renew, reposition and reinvigorate” the Pan-African Parliament, and make it fit for purpose to serve the African citizenry.
Prior to joining the Pan-African Parliament as Clerk, Lindiwe Khumalo served as the Acting Executive Secretary to the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) based in Banjul, the Gambia. She was recently hailed for brilliantly steering the Secretariat to position the Commission as the premier Human Rights body in Africa.
Other Notable executive positions held by Mrs. Khumalo include serving as Chief Operations Officer, and thereafter Chief Executive Officer of the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC). Her Advisory positions include serving as Technical Advisor to the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC).
She is a South African national with a Master of Laws Degree (specializing in Human Rights and Democratization in Africa) and a Master of Management Degree (specializing in Public and Development Management.
