Ishara Bodasing

PERSONAL DETAILS

Surname:  Bodasing

First Names:  Ishara Kamini

Date of birth:  16 February 1969

Gender:  Female

Nationality: South African

Address: 1 Colchester, 24 Park Lane, Kloof, 3610, KZN, RSA

Telephone: +27 (0) 83 411 2875

E-mail: ishara.aorc@gmail.com

Languages: English (good), Afrikaans (good), French (conversational), Hindi (conversational), isiZulu (basic), kiSwahili (basic)

Qualifications: MCL (Masters in Comparative Law) – University of Delhi, India (2000), BA and LLB degrees from the University of KwaZulu Natal (1987 – 1991), Pupillage and Admitted as Advocate (1992), Arbitration and Mediation Certification.

PROFILE

CURRENTLY:

MD: I. BODASING GOVERNANCE CONSULTANTS (IBGC)

• Research, report-writing and training in good governance. Recent assignments include:
  • Draft Training Curriculum and Modules for Anti-corruption Investigators (SADC – 2024);
  • Draft African Union Model Law on Housing, Urban Development and Human Settlements for Africa (AUC – 2024);
  • Draft African Union Statute: African Union Center of Excellence for Disaster Risk Reduction (AUC – 2023)
  • Assess previous, and draft new Strategic Plan 2023–2027: SADC Regional Peacekeeping Training Center (SADC Nov’22 – Oct’23)
  • Develop Handbook for Anti-corruption Investigators: UNODC ROSA (2020).
  • Conduct Analysis: SADC Draft Regional Corruption Assessment Report (2021);
  • Review SADC Anti-Corruption Strategic Action Plan (2018-2022) and draft Strategic Action Plan 2023-2027 (2021);
• Institutional Analysis, Strategic planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation;
• Forensic investigations and reports, training of investigators (Affiliate member: Association of Certified Fraud Examiners);
• Initiate / preside over disciplinary enquiries;
• Risk assessments and risk management training;
• Support in managing corporate reorganisations;
• POPIA / PAIA compliance audits and training;
• Member of the SADC Parliamentary Forum’s Technical Working Group on Democratisation, Governance and Human Rights;
• External examiner/moderator: Post Graduate Diploma in Forensic Investigations & Criminal Justice Programme (UKZN).
• Chair and initiate disciplinary enquiries.

 LAWYER

• Advocate (Litigation, ADR, drafting, legal opinions and advice [environmental law, family, criminal, labour, human rights, civil, commercial]);
• Former Member of Companies Tribunal (2017 – 2022): mediation, arbitration and adjudication of company law disputes, sat on Governance Committee;
• In-house Counsel for Bodasing & Co. Attorneys, MA Singh & Co Attorneys, Asset-One Services (Pty) Ltd and Srivastha (Pty) Ltd (member of Governance Committee, drafting contracts, support commercial transactions, provide legal and regulatory compliance advice);
• Mediator: (family and commercial) independent facilitator, early neutral evaluation, trainer, Chairperson of Association for Dispute Resolution Practitioners-SA; Vice-Chairperson of KwaZulu Natal Society of Mediators.

 PREVIOUSLY:

• Senior Manager: Forensic Investigations – Internal Audit Unit of KZN Treasury.
• Acting Director: Established and managed African Ombudsman Research Centre, which serves as a resource centre for Ombudsman Offices in Africa
• Leadership role and Senior Management position in the Public Sector Anti-corruption Programme of the Department of Public Service and Administration (dpsa), which focused on policy, monitoring, evaluation and international anti-corruption co-operation.

OTHER POST-TERTIARY WORK

March 2015 – May 2016:

Snr. Manager: Forensic Investigations, Internal Audit Unit, KwaZulu-Natal Treasury (manage forensic investigations, review reports, report to ARC)

June 2014 – February 2015

• Senior Manager at G9 Consulting and Advisory Services (forensic investigations, corporate governance research, training)
• Lecturer at Varsity College (Constitutional Law and Legal Interpretation)
• Experts’ Group to finalise Guidelines for State Reporting under AU’s Democracy Charter (organized by UP’s Centre for Human Rights)

June 2011 – May 2014

Deputy (1^st year), then Acting Director: African Ombudsman Research Centre (AORC based at UKZN)

Worked under the auspices of the African Ombudsman and Mediators Association (AOMA) on:

• Company Secretary functions to AORC Board and AOMA Exco.
• Training (complaints resolutions, investigations).
• advocacy and communication (to promote establishment and enhance capacity of Ombuds institutions);
• research and information (conducted research to compare legislation governing ombudsman offices in Africa, drafted terms of reference to research the enforcement of ombudsman decisions).

2007 – 2011

Lawyer: criminal and civil litigation.

MD: IBodasing Governance Consultants:

• Review Assessment of Environmental Co-operation Programme RSA, commissioned by the Royal Norwegian Embassy (May-June 2011)
• Senior researcher for forensic investigations into the Sasseta (August 2010 – December 2010)
• Member of Panel of Experts for a Study on Trade Monitoring, with specific focus on Customs Fraud and Illegal Imports (September 2009 – January 2010) commissioned by the IDC and the FRIDGE (Fund for Research into Industrial Development, Growth and Equity, a Sub-Committee of the Trade and Industry Chamber of Nedlac);
• Project Leader for Research Report into the Existence and Efficacy of Corporate Governance Measures in Fighting Corruption in the Business Sector (August – October 2008) commissioned by the DPSA in partnership with the Development Bank of South Africa)
• Presentations on Anti-corruption Prevention, Investigation and Risk Management made to a number of local training conferences.
• Participated in training sessions of South Sudanese Anti-corruption Commission and the Botswana Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crimes (2008 – 2009), under auspices of Centre for Business and Professional Ethics, University of Pretoria)
• Co-author of the 2^nd Country Corruption Assessment Report (April – June 2008)
• Organising Office for South Africa’s hosting of Africa Forum on Fighting Corruption (28 February – 2 March 2007) and Global Forum V on Fighting Corruption and Safeguarding Integrity (2 – 5 April 2007)
• Research paper on Implications of the Multilateral Anti-corruption Instruments for Africa (commissioned in February 2007 by the AU)

2007 – 2009:

Owner and Manager of the Peppertree Restaurant and B&B in Greyton. Management responsibilities: HR Management (staff of 13 people), marketing strategy, internal controls and financial management. Member of Aesthetics and Tourism Committee. Practised as Lawyer.

July 2001 – September 2006

Senior Anti-corruption Specialist then Director: International Anti-corruption, Monitoring and Evaluation, Department of Public Service and Administration (dpsa)

• Management of two Programmes, International Anti-corruption Co-operation, and Monitoring and Evaluation, within the Public Sector Anti-corruption Programme of the
• Monitoring and Evaluation: provide direction in project to conduct impact appraisal of national anti-corruption framework, including integrating, coordinating and managing all planning and executive functions and actions associated therewith
• Lead initiatives to comply with reporting requirements of multilateral anti-corruption instruments (inter-departmentally and regionally).
• January 2002 – 1 October 2003: represented South Africa at the negotiation of the United Nations Convention against Corruption held in Vienna, Austria. 9 – 11 December 2003: support to Minister for the Public Service and Administration and the Minister of Justice at signing ceremony of the Convention held in Mexico. 11 – 13 July 2004, 26 February – 1 March 2005: invited as Expert by United Nations Organisation on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to join international group of 15 other experts in Turin to develop Legislative Guidelines on implementation of the Convention. Presented South African position paper on “Asset Recovery” at event organised by hosts and led by the Mayor of Turin during latter meeting.
• 16 – 19 September 2002: represented South Africa at the Experts’ and Ministers Meeting to negotiate an African Union Convention for the Prevention and Combat of Corruption held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
• 1 – 5 March 2004: Rapporteur at African Regional Preparatory Meeting for the 11^th UN Crime Congress organised by UN Centre for International Crime Prevention in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
• 21 – 23 April 2004: South African representative at SADC conference to develop SADC Regional Anti-corruption Programme in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
• 30 – 31 August 2004: support to Minister for the Public Service and Administration to negotiate programme of action for Public Service Reform in the Democratic Republic of Congo
• 12 – 13 October 2004: part of RSA delegation and Workshop Panel Speaker at Transparency International’s Experts’ Meeting on New Anti-corruption Governments in Nairobi, Kenya.
• 18 – 26 April 2005: participated in 11^th UN Crime Congress in Bangkok, Thailand. Part of Workshop Panel & delivered paper on “Measures to Combat Economic Crime, including Money Laundering.”
• 5 – 6 October 2005: attended Conference in Swakopmund, Namibia on Implementing the Charter & Related Initiatives for Public Service Improvement in Africa. Delivered paper on the “Fight against Corruption and Maladministration in the Public Sector.”

1992 – 8: practised as lawyer

TERTIARY EDUCATION

1998 – 2000

Completed Masters in Comparative Law at University of Delhi, India through scholarship from the International Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR). Dissertation in Intellectual Property Law. Courses taken, inter alia:

• Law of International Human Rights
• Intellectual Property Law I & II
• Law of International Trade
• Environmental Law
• Law of River Basins
• International Air and Space Law
• Law of the High Seas
• Legal research methodology

1990 – 1:

Completed Bachelor of Law (LLB) through University of KwaZulu Natal. All prescribed courses, incl IP law as elective.

1987 – 9

Completed Bachelor of Arts (BA) through University of KwaZulu Natal, with majors in English, Legal studies and Political Science.

March – April 2002: completed beginner’s course in French through Alliance Francaise (Pretoria)

2017: Mediation Course, and accredited through Conflict Dynamics

2022: Arbitration Course, and accredited through Conflict Dynamics

REFEREES

1. 1. Mr Diane Aboubakar (Senior Policy Officer – AU DRR Unit) – designated oversight role for assignment to develop Africa Centre of Excellence for Disaster Risk Management, and draft Statute for Continental Civil Mechanism for Disaster Prevention: DianeA@africa-union.org / +251 90 953 7866
   2. Mr Alvin Rapea (Partner Corporate Education – Regenesys ) – was acting Head of Department or DDG in DPSA when negotiations of anti-corruption multilateral instruments was undertaken: rapea@gmail.com / +27 82 499 8053
   3. Mr Itumeleng Mongale (National Project Officer: Anti-Corruption, UNODC ROSA) – Former colleague at DPSA: mongale@un.org / +27 82 887 4017
   4. Mr Ruan Kitshoff: (Governance Support Programme – Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH). Supervisor throughout tenure at Anti-corruption Unit, DPSA.  +27-12-423-5914 / +27-82-886-2052 / kitshoff@giz.de
   5. Judge Chiman Patel (former Judge President: KZN) – Master during pupillage and beyond: 0837776040