THANDI ORLEYN
Thandi holds the following qualifications: B.Proc, B.Juris, LLB, Certificate in Energy Law. She also did
the Executive Management Programme at the Kellogg Business School, in Chicago.
Thandi is one of the founders of Peotona Group Holdings.
Until 2006, Thandi was Senior Partner at the commercial law firm Eversheds. From 1997 to 2002 she
was National Director of the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA). She is
accredited with developing people skills, structures and systems at the CCMA.
She was Director and Attorney at the Legal Resources Centre - the first 10 years of Thandi’s legal
practice were spent at the Legal Resources Centre where she focused on litigation against the
apartheid state. She was also responsible for the training and development of candidate attorneys,
paralegals and community advice centres.
While she was National Director of the Independent Mediation Service of SA, Thandi provided
strategic leadership at a time when South Africa was moving from an apartheid state to a democratic
country.
She co-authored a booked entitled ‘Sexual Harassment in the Workplace’.
Since 1996, as an Executive Board of Femmes Africa Solidarite, Thandi developed materials and
conducted training in conflict resolution in Burundi, Rwanda, Sierra Leone and Ethiopia. She has
facilitated stakeholder sessions in the Burundian mediation under former President, Nelson
Mandela. She facilitated preparation for the World Conference against Racism and the World
Summit on Sustainable Development. She has conducted a labour legislative review in Mauritius on
behalf of the ILO.
Her current board positions include South African Reserve Bank, Toyota SA, Implats Ltd, Reunert Ltd,
ArcelorMittal South Africa Ltd, Freeworld Coatings Ltd and Ceramic Industries Ltd.
She is also a mediator and arbitrator accredited by CEDR and Tokiso and a member of the
Competition Tribunal, an Adjunct Professor of Law at the University of Cape Town, a Member of
Council of the University of Fort Hare and a Panel Member of the Remuneration Committee of the
Department of Public Enterprises.
Thandi's community involvement is as follows: She chairs the Legal Resources Trust; Vice Chairman
of Council, Fort Hare University, Chairman of Shanduka Trust; Trustee of Zenex Trust and the Inanda
Seminary Education Trust.
Thandi’s major focus and passion is on social entrepreneurship with a special focus in education and
self actualization.