Name: Mary de Haas
Born: 1943
Nationality: South African
Other names / Nicknames: Dr. Mary de Haas (honorary title)
Alma mater: University of KwaZulu-Natal (formerly University of Natal)
Spouse: Married (name not publicly disclosed)
Children: One son, Christian de Haas
Education: Qualified and registered as a social worker
Higher Education: MSocSci (cum laude) in Social Anthropology from the University of KwaZulu-Natal (awarded for research on African marriage and divorce)
Occupation: Anthropologist, human rights activist, violence monitor, researcher, lecturer
Years active: 1980s–present
Known for: Documenting and monitoring political violence in KwaZulu-Natal; human rights advocacy; research on policing, conflict mediation, and social justice issues
Political party: None
Other political affiliations: Collaborations with NGOs, legal bodies, and community organizations focused on human rights and social justice.
Career & Positions held (chronological):
1980s: Lectured in Social Anthropology at the University of Natal (now University of KwaZulu-Natal); initiated community-based violence monitoring and lobbying efforts in KwaZulu-Natal townships
1980s–2002: Senior lecturer and programme director in Social Anthropology at the University of Natal; taught courses on Africa, medical anthropology, and research methodology
2002–present: Retired from full-time lecturing; serves as Honorary Research Fellow in the School of Law, University of KwaZulu-Natal; member of the Navi Pillay Research Group on justice and human rights
2000s–present: Founding member and chairperson of the Bioethics Reference Committee; violence monitor and analyst, submitting reports, affidavits, and statements on police conduct and political killings
2025: Testified before Parliament’s ad hoc committee on alleged corruption and political interference in the criminal justice system
Awards and honours: Doctor of Laws (LLD, honoris causa) from Rhodes University (2021) for contributions to human rights, social justice, and violence research
Controversies: In November 2025, testified in support of suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu’s order to disband the KwaZulu-Natal Political Killings Task Team, citing allegations of suspect abuse and fabricated statements; accused by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi of accessing sensitive internal police information; her testimony demeanor, including laughter and eye-rolling, drew criticism from some parliament members
Criminal charges / Legal issues: None
Website / Social media: No personal website or verified social media accounts publicly available
