No bad blood: Madonsela breaks silence on Richard Foxton’s will and estate dispute

Former Public Protector and current Stellenbosch University professor, Thuli Madonsela, has clarified that there is no bad blood between her and the family of her late partner, Richard Foxton, regarding his estate.

During a media briefing on Wednesday, Madonsela broke her silence to address recent media reports, labelling them as character assassination. She stated that she has been falsely portrayed as "greedy" and at loggerheads with the Foxton family.

Madonsela raised concerns regarding the management of the estate, noting her fear that one of their shared homes may have been illegally accessed and its value inflated.

Specifically, she expressed confusion over reports claiming a Stellenbosch property the couple shared since 2021 is worth R10 million. According to Madonsela, to her knowledge, the property has not been legally accessed for a formal valuation.

"The safety concerns and relentless character assassination campaign in the media have compelled me to claim my agency by speaking for myself and sharing the truth as I know it," she said.

RichardFoxton, a well-known communications specialist, passed away six months ago. At the time of his death, he and Madonsela had been in a committed relationship for nearly a decade.

Madonsela explained that out of respect for Foxton, she had attempted to quietly handle disputes regarding the validity of a 2025 will submitted to the Master’s Office. She specifically questioned the actions of the executors, whom she does not believe are rightfully designated.

In an emotional moment during the briefing, Madonsela clarified that Foxton’s children are not involved in the current friction. She alleged that one of the estate's executors attempted to evict her from the Gauteng apartment she shared with Foxton via a WhatsApp message shortly after his passing.

"Throughout this, I have not had any fight with any Foxton, be it bitter or not," she added.

Madonsela concluded that the final decision regarding the validity of the will and the accuracy of asset valuations will now rest with the court.