Advocate Kholeka Gcaleka was born in 1982 in the KZN province. She grew up between the city of gold and Umzimkhulu in rural KZN.
Her mother was a domestic worker. After matriculation she went to the University of KZN and obtained a law degree. She studied for an LLM in Commercial Law at UJ. Kholeka served as deputy director of public prosecutions.
During Malusi Gigaba’s tenure as minister of Home Affairs, she was his advisor. She is the current public protector and 5th one of South Africa. She is also the youngest person to ever hold the position.
Before her promotion to public protector , she was the deputy public protector. She has not disclosed her husband and children.
She speaks the five official South African languages – English, isiZulu, Setswana, Sesotho and Afrikaans.