Priscilla Jana was granted a Government of India Scholarship to study Medicine in India where she completed studies in Inter-Science and returned to South Africa in 1965. Mrs. Jana completed a Bachelor of Laws Degree at the University of South Africa (UNISA). In 1979 Mrs. Jana opened her own law practice with a focus on civil liberties and human rights.
Whilst in India and soon after her return to South Africa, Mrs. Jana played a significant role in protest politics against apartheid and particularly opposing the apartheid 1984 Constitution. She was a member of the South African Students’ Organisation (SASO), Black People’s Convention and the Anti-Constitutional Committee and Federation of Transvaal Women (FEDTRAW).
Mrs. Jana represented Solomon Mahlangu in 1978 and played a pivotal role in engineering international awareness and protest against the execution of Solomon Mahlangu, who was sentenced to death and eventually executed. In another historically significant matter, Mrs Jana took the South African Medical and Dental Council on review in 1984, for its treatment of Steve Bantu Biko, who died as a result of police torture in prison. The Court ordered the Council to hold an investigation into the conduct of the doctors who were eventually found guilty of disgraceful conduct. She represented Ibrahim Ebrahim and took on International Law Point and succeeded in having him returned to South Africa after being kidnapped in Swaziland by the South African Apartheid regim.
Mrs Jana also was a lawyer in the celebrated Mariwana case on a constitutional case. This case in the 3rd time in the history of South Africa was heard before 11 Judges in the Supreme Court with success.
During Mrs. Jana’s illustrious legal career at the forefront of defending human rights, she represented various prominent anti-apartheid activists including: Former President Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisuslu, Govan Mbeki, Ahmed Kathrada, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela and Emeritus Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Mrs Jana also acted in many of the celebrated cases under Apertheid such as the state vs Archie Gumede and others; the UDF trials and the State vs Albertina Sisulu; and the State vs Zwelakhe Sisulu. Mrs Jana was also a member of the South African Law Commission. She was also on the Advisory Committee to the President.
Mrs. Jana served as South African Ambassador in the Netherlands from 2001 to 2005 and then went on to serve as South African Ambassador in Ireland from 2006 to 2011. During her tenure as Ambassador she delivered various speeches and lectures on African experiences of Human Rights Development. She has delivered lectures and speeches on numerous subjects throughout her career.
Mrs. Jana was a member of Parliament from 1994 to 1999, serving on numerous Committees including: Portfolio Committee on Justice, she was the Chairperson of the Adhoc Committee on the Ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and Member of the Joint Committee on Public Protectors’ Interest.
