INSTITUTE FOR JUSTICE AND RECONCILIATION
Announcement
31 March 2026

The Institute for Justice and Reconciliation (IJR) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr Fanie du Toit as Interim Executive Director and Mrs Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge as Chair of the Board.

These leadership appointments mark an important moment in the organisation’s ongoing commitment to advancing justice, reconciliation, and inclusive peacebuilding.

Dr du Toit brings to the role decades of distinguished experience in transitional justice, reconciliation, and peacebuilding. A former Executive Director of IJR, he led the organisation through a period of significant growth, expanding its reach across Africa and into the Middle East. Internationally recognised for his advisory work with governments, multilateral institutions, including the United Nations and civil society, Dr du Toit has worked in over 45 countries. His expertise spans policy development, community reconciliation processes, and post-conflict recovery, supported by an academic background that includes a D.Phil. from the University of Oxford and an M.Phil. in Justice and Transformation from the University of Cape Town.

Mrs Madlala-Routledge assumes the role of Board Chair with over 30 years of leadership in government, civil society, and international peacebuilding. A former Deputy Speaker of the South African National Assembly and Deputy Minister of Health and Defence, she has been at the forefront of advancing gender equality, human rights, and democratic governance. Her global experience includes serving as Director of the Quaker United Nations Office in Geneva and contributing to numerous international advisory bodies focused on peace and justice. She is widely respected for her role in mobilising women in the development of South Africa’s democratic Constitution and for her leadership in grassroots peacebuilding initiatives.

Reflecting on her appointment, Mrs Madlala-Routledge said:

“I am deeply honoured to steward the legacy of the visionary founders who established the IJR as a living continuation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission—an institution rooted in the belief that confronting our past is essential to shaping a more humane and just future. For more than 25 years, our Board and dedicated staff have shown courage, moral clarity, and steadfast commitment in advancing justice, healing, and reconciliation.

Today, we stand at a defining moment. Guided by a renewed strategy and new leadership, we are opening a bold new chapter—one that seeks not only to respond to injustice, but to imagine and help build the just and peaceful South Africa, Africa, and world that remains within our reach. This next chapter calls for collective courage, creative partnership, and enduring hope. I invite partners, supporters, and communities to walk with us as we shape this future together.”

The IJR Board expressed confidence that, together, Dr du Toit and Mrs Madlala-Routledge will provide strong, values-driven leadership during this transitional period, reinforcing the organisation’s mission to promote reconciliation, reparative justice, social cohesion, and democratic transformation.

Ends.

For media enquiries, please contact:
Ms Mwanja Ng’anjo | Mnganjo@ijr.org.za