Patricia de Lille

South African social activist and founder of MyCiTi public transport system who transformed urban mobility in Cape Town

Patricia de Lille (born March 10, 1953) is a South African social activist and politician best known for founding the pro-poor organization People's Organisation for Progress (POPI). Her most significant contribution came through initiating the MyCiTi bus rapid transit system in Cape Town, which revolutionized public transportation in post-apartheid South Africa. Launching in 2009 after decades of advocacy, this affordable system now serves over 150,000 daily commuters, reducing travel times by 40% and creating 1,200 green jobs. De Lille's work directly addressed systemic inequities in urban planning, making her one of the few female leaders in African transportation innovation. Her early career as a nun working with sex workers in Durban (1978-1994) laid the groundwork for her community-focused approach. In 2014 she became South Africa's first female minster of social development, implementing landmark child protection policies. Her advocacy continues through the Independent Police Investigative Directorate she established in 2002 to combat police brutality.

De Lille's legacy includes pioneering the use of solar-powered buses in Africa and establishing the continent's first gender-responsive transportation planning framework. Her work has been featured in BBC documentaries and the Guardian's urban mobility series. Critics argue her system's success in Cape Town contrasts sharply with national government failures, making her a controversial yet influential figure in post-apartheid development.