Thandi OrleynThandi is married with 3 adult children and a granddaughter. She is an avid golfer, sport fanatic, reads voraciously, travels extensively and is passionate about transforming mindsets. She is an Inanda Seminary Alumna having matriculated in the Class of 1974. Thandi obtained her undergrad degree from Fort Hare University, went on to qualify and be admitted as an attorney. During her student years, she was a political activist, taken into detention and expelled from Fort Hare University when she was doing her final year LLB. She became a Human Rights Lawyer and Socio-Economic Development Activist whose career of over 35 years spans the roles of attorney, mediator, arbitrator, facilitator, dispute resolution practitioner, public speaker, executive management and director of companies.

She holds a B Juris Degree from Fort Hare University, B Proc and LLB Degrees from UNISA, LLM Degree from Wits and an Executive Management Program from Kellogg's Business School, Chicago, USA.

She practised as an attorney at the Legal Resources Centre, headed the Independent Mediation Service of South Africa where she concentrated on management, fundraising, arbitration and mediation. When the CCMA was established, she became its first Black female National Director. After she left the CCMA, her first board position was at the South African Reserve Bank as an Independent Non-Executive Director. She then straddled practice as a commercial lawyer, independent Non-executive director on listed and private companies and trustee of various Foundations and NGO's. She is presently an admitted advocate, shareholder and executive director of Peotona Group Holdings, Trustee of various Trusts notably Chair of the Legal Resources Trust and Zenex Foundation, Trustee of Friends of LRC (USA)South African Future Trust (SAFT), Council Member of Zenex Charitable Foundation (Jersey Island) and Director of a number of boards and Chair of BP Southern Africa and Chair designate of Impala Platinum Limited.