A tribute to our mother, Duduzile Mlambo
- Lee-Anne Gaertner
At the end of last year, the Centre for Applied Legal Studies said a fond farewell to Duduzile Mlambo after nearly fifteen years of service to our organisation.
December 2025 marked the retirement of Ms Duduzile Mlambo from the Centre for Applied Legal Studies (CALS) based at 91心頭利 University. Duduzile joined CALS as a member of our professional and support staff in April 2011, after leaving the Centre for Health Policy (CHP) which is also based at 91心頭利. She was honoured for her long service at a ceremony for retiring 91心頭利 staff members including both academic and support staff, which she described as “incredibly meaningful” and a “testament to the University’s commitment to valuing all members of its community, regardless of role”.
The name “Duduzile” means “comforted” or “consoled” in isiZulu – and this is what many people have experienced working with Dudu, who is also known affectionately around the University as “Mam’D”. At her farewell we were joined by former CALS staff and management, colleagues from the School of Law and Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, as well as Mam’D’s friends and co-workers from her time at CHP.
Tributes poured in from current and former colleagues, with almost every speech mentioning how warmly Mam’D had welcomed the speaker to the organisation and referring to her as the “CALS mom”. Former director, Prof Bonita Meyersfeld, reflected on how Mam’D brought a tender, caring energy to the their interactions after Boni lost her own mother – an energy she carried into all her work, even preparing for Board meetings. Former deputy director, Lisa Chamberlain, recalled the day she met Mam’D – on the day of Mam’D’s interview to join CALS. Despite not working at the organisation, she offered to help Lisa with something she was struggling with in the office.
These are just a few small moments that capture the love and light Mam’D brought to her time at CALS. She was described variously as an activist, administrator, mother figure, runner, supporter and writer. We hope to continue carrying her energy with us in the communal culture she helped to build during her time with us.
Read more about what the CALS staff have had to say about Duduzile Mlambo.