Adv Bokankatla Joseph Malatji currently serves as a Commissioner for the SAHRC and is responsible for Disability, Older Persons and Convention on the Rights of persons with Disability.

Adv  Malatji has 24 years’ working experience in the public sector, having served as a Legal Adviser in the Department of Justice from 1977 until 2005. He was also Head of Provincial Legal Services for South African Police Services in the Limpopo Province from 1995 until 2001.

He completed his B Iuris degree from the then University of the North with two awards from Transvaal Law Society for the best Law student during 1972 and 1973. He also completed his LLB degree during 1976 with Latin III as an extra curriculum course.

Amongst his accolades are:

• He was the first black blind student to be admitted at the University of the North in 1971.
• He was the first black blind person to be admitted as an advocate of the Supreme Courtin Africa during 1977.
• He served as a member of the School Governing Body for Siloe School from 2001 up to 2007.
• In 2003, he was accredited with Agri-Seta and has conducted training and skills development through learnerships to over 400 learners from various farming projects in plant production.
• From 2004 to 2009 he initiated and was involved in various community building projects whilst he ran his legal consultancy office.

“Per Perspera Ad Astra”