A New Guardian: Who is Dinkie Portia Dube, SA’s New Deputy Public Protector?

President Cyril Ramaphosa has named a seasoned public sector veteran to one of the country’s most critical oversight roles. Advocate Dinkie Portia Dube has been appointed as the new Deputy Public Protector, effective from 1 February 2026, for a non-renewable seven-year term. The appointment fills the vacancy left by Advocate Kholeka Gcaleka’s elevation to Public Protector last year.

Here are four key things to know about her appointment and career:

1. Two Decades of Public Sector Expertise

Dube brings over 20 years of experience in the public sector, with a career deeply rooted in oversight, complaints management, and investigation. Her professional journey reflects a consistent commitment to accountability structures.

2. A Career Steeped in Oversight

Her most recent role was as the Director-General of the Public Service Commission, the constitutional body tasked with monitoring public administration. Prior to that, she served as the Chief Director: Operations in the Office of the Military Ombud, and from 2011 to 2014, she was the Provincial Director of the Gauteng Office of the Public Protector. This means she returns to an institution she knows well.

3. A Foundation in Rights and Consumer Protection

Dube’s earlier career laid a strong foundation in protecting citizens’ rights. She worked on complaint resolution in the former Department of Trade and Industry’s Office of Consumer Protection and served as a legal officer at the South African Human Rights Commission.

4. Appointed on Parliamentary Recommendation

The appointment was made in terms of the Public Protector Act, on the recommendation of the National Assembly. She steps into a role supporting Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka, who was herself appointed after the dismissal of Busisiwe Mkhwebane.

President Ramaphosa expressed confidence in Dube’s ability to contribute to the Public Protector’s mandate to “investigate, report on and remedy improper conduct in all matters of the state.” Her appointment signals a preference for institutional knowledge and a steady hand in an office central to South Africa’s democratic integrity.

{Source: Citizen}

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