Jeanette
Ndhlovu was born in Johannesburg, South Africa. She completed both her primary and secondary education
in South Africa. After the traumatic events of June 16, 1976, that led to the
shooting and death of her youngest brother, Hastings Ndlovu, she and her two
sisters Thandi and Granny left South Africa to campaign and fight for a new
democratic order in South Africa
Before
leaving the country, she was involved with the ANC underground structures
helping to transport students into neighbouring countries. She came to
the United States in 1977 to help strengthen the anti-apartheid movement while
also pursuing her education. She
enrolled at the University of Missouri where she attained a Bachelor of Arts
degree in Political Science in 1983. She
later completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Administration at the
University of Missouri-Columbia.
She
joined the Observer Mission of the African National Congress (ANC) to the
United Nations in 1987 she advocated for the protection and promotion of the
rights of South Africans until her departure from the U.S. in 1994. While with the United Nations Observer Mission, she received
a Master of Arts degree from New York University in Counseling Psychology. She
became instrumental in putting “women and children under apartheid” high
on the agenda of the United Nations and thus the UN Nairobi Women’s
Conference and ultimately of the Beijing Women’s Conference.
She
was engaged in anti-apartheid campaigns at colleges and universities. She also
addressed church, civic, labor and elected officials throughout the United
States and traveled to the Caribbean promoting human rights for the oppressed
people of South Africa. Additionally, she lobbied lawmakers to break economic,
military and political ties with apartheid South Africa. In 1994 she
left for South Africa.
On
arrival she served on the Management team of the Independent Electoral
Commission, and helped in ensuring the success of the first ever-democratic
elections. In September 2000 she
was appointed Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations.
She also served on the Bureau of the World Summit for Sustainable
Development as an ex-officio member as a rapporteur for a Convention on the
Protection and Promotion of Disabled Persons, in her quest to end
discrimination against disabled persons. She has a passion for human rights,
particularly women and children’s rights; it is no wonder that she led South
Africa’s New York delegation to the Commission of Human Rights in Geneva
where she avidly advocated for civil and political rights, as well as
economic, social and cultural rights.
She
was appointed as Consul-General of the Republic of South Africa to Los Angeles
in October 2004 and has since received several awards and commendations
including the Black Business Association-Los Angeles Political Leadership
Award; the Spring Secrets
Diamond Courage Award and the Los Angeles African American Public Policy
Institute Women of Action Award.
