Profile of the DeputyPublic Protector
of South Africa, Adv Mamiki Thabitha Shai
Adv Mamiki Thabitha Shai assumed duty as the first Deputy
Public Protector of South Africa in December 2005 following
her appointment the month before. An experienced lawyer, Adv
Shai boasts a career spanning over two decades in the legal
field.
She studied law at the University of South Africa (UNISA),
specialising in Constitutional Law and Human Rights
perspective on civil law, with a pursued interest in
International Economic Law.
Prior to her appointment as Deputy Public Protector, Adv
Shai was Head of Legal Services at the Department of Science
and Technology having been transferred from the Department
of Education, where she was a Divisional Manager: Advisory
and Support Services.
She practiced as an attorney in Johannesburg as head of
Mamiki Shai Attorneys after serving nine years as one of the
first Public Defenders in the country, who were responsible
for the making the Public Defender’s project a permanent
institution in 1998.
Adv. Shai, was one of the tutors for Law Society’s first
Management Programme for Attorneys. She taught and designed
courses in Financial Management and Strategic Planning.
During her second law degree studies, she became a tutor on
behalf of Sached Trust in Criminal Procedure and Criminal
Law for UNISA students, who were registered with Sached
Trust for tuition.
As part of her social responsibility, Adv. Shai heads
Religious Association of Professionals’ transformation
sub-projects dedicated for single parents and one for youth.
Since 1993, she has mentored a number of lawyers.
She regularly speaks at conferences and workshops relating
to children and women’s rights, democracy, transformation,
leadership and management.
She enjoys research, writing, studying, mentoring and
coaching and her deepest passion lies with transformational
activities. She plays an electone and an organ musical
instrument
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