Lindiwe Mazibuko

Lindiwe Mazibuko is a South African public leader, speaker, writer, and former politician. She is the co-founder and Executive Director of Apolitical Academy, a non-partisan movement to support the next generation of ethical public leaders.

Mazibuko was the first black woman in South African history to be elected Leader of the Opposition in Parliament.

A graduate of the University of Cape Town in South Africa and the Harvard Kennedy School of Government in the United States, Lindiwe was an elected representative in South Africa’s National Assembly until May 2014, when she resigned from active politics in order to return to higher education.

She has served as fellow of the Institute of Politics (IOP) at Harvard University and of the Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study (STIAS) in South Africa. She is a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader, an advisory committee member at Apolitical and the Executive Director of Apolitical Academy.

Despite her decision to take a prolonged hiatus from public office, Lindiwe remains committed to promoting change for the better in South Africa, Africa and the Global South. She firmly believes that it is possible for us to build societies across the continent that are generous towards to the poor, protective of children, afford women and men equal status, and protect human rights and enforce the rule of law, while providing economic opportunities for all.