to South Africa in 1991) she traversed the world preaching the horrors of apartheid and the fight against it. Ginwala held academic titles from several universities in Africa and abroad. She was a barrister at law; historian; a political scientist, and held a doctorate in philosophy from Linacre College at Oxford University. In the first democratic South African elections in 1994, Frene Ginwala was elected to the Parliament of South Africa. She was nominated by the ANC caucus and elected by parliament as the Speaker of the National Assembly of South Africa, a position she held from 1994 until 2004. After retirement as speaker, she continued serving in a number of international organisations including UN subsidiaries, as Trustee of the Nelson Mandela Foundation and as Chancellor of the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Ginwala was appointed the first chancellor of the University of KwaZulu-Natal in April 2005. At the time, she was one of only four female university chancellors in South Africa. South African president Thabo Mbeki appointed Ginwala on 30 September 2007 to conduct the enquiry into National Director of Public Prosecutions Vusi Pikoli's fitness to hold office. She decided generally in favour of Pikoli, but criticised poor communication between departments. She also criticised the Director General of the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, Advocate Menzi Simelane, whose testimony was contradictory, and without basis in fact or Law. She also had harsh words for president Jacob Zuma on his subsequent appointment of Simelane to National Director of Public Prosecutions. Ginwala died from complications of a stroke suffered two weeks earlier on 12 January 2023, at the age of 90. Honours 2003: North-South Prize 2005: Order of Luthuli, in silver 2008: Order of the Rising Sun, 2008 References External links Frene Ginwala Freedom Collection interview 1932 births 2023 deaths Alumni of Linacre College, Oxford Parsi people African National Congress politicians Speakers of the National Assembly of South Africa South African exiles South African expatriates in Tanzania South African people of Indian descent South African people of Parsi descent Women members of the National Assembly of South Africa Members of the National Assembly of South Africa Members of the Order of Luthuli South African women activists South African barristers 20th-century South African historians South African political scientists Apartheid in South Africa South African journalists Recipients of the Order of the Rising Sun Anti-apartheid activists Women political scientists Women civil rights activists