Advocate Bokankatla Joseph Malatji
Advocate Bokankatla Joseph Malatji made history by being the first black, blind student to be admitted at the University of the North in 1971 and then the first black, blind person to be admitted as an Advocate of the Supreme Court of South Africa in 1977. Advocate Malatji completed a B Iuris Degree at the University of the North with two awards from Transvaal Law Society for the best Law student during 1972 and 1973.
He then went on to complete his LLB degree with Latin III as an additional course in 1976. Advocate Malatji, during his first seven year term as a Commissioner of the South African Human Rights Commission, was very active in the field of disability rights as this was one of his Focus Areas. At international, regional and domestic level, Advocate Malatji has participated in numerous platforms. In 2014, Advocate Malatji was invited to be part of the United Nations Working Group on the Promotion of the Rights of People with Disabilities (UNPRPD).
Advocate Malatji has more than two decades worth of working experience in the public sector. He started his legal career as a Legal Adviser in the Department of Justice from 1977 until 1995. He then moved on to being the Head of Provincial Legal Services for South African Police Services in Limpopo Province from 1995 to 2001.