Linford Andrews - Our Man at the Commonwealth

As a young boy, Linford tells me over our phone conversation, he had always wanted to work for the United Nations, or any similar international body. “At that time, of course, South Africa was still persona non grata on the international stage,” he explains. As he is talking, I can just imagine the little boy that he used to be, looking at the man that he has become. The dreams of a child are mostly elusive and almost always fantastical, yet I don’t think that Linford could ever have known how spectacular his life story would turn out to be.

Although he developed an interest in politics from a young age, university was when these ideals really took root. He was one of the last recipients of a United Nations Scholarship to study in the UK, and whilst he was doing his Master’s Degree on International Politics, the CODESA discussions were taking place in South Africa. This played a major role in his views about his country, and after deciding to return home, he joined the foreign service.

Being a part of the first group of diplomats trained under the newly established government of 1994 is no small feat. People from all sides of the political divide needing to work together to achieve a common goal shaped a particularly unique path with regards to a work environment. “In a way, it was our own internal reconciliation process. Under the radar, we were all getting to know each other and working with a new system. It was quite an honour and a privilege to be a part of this historical part of South African history,” Linford divulges.

When he first joined, Linford along with three others, formed part of the South African Desk in the Operations Centre at Department of International Relations and Co-operation (DIRCO). “You have to remember, there was no Google or Yahoo! at that time, so it was our role to send out information to our consulates abroad,” Linford laughs.

Linford also played a role in organising the inauguration of former president Nelson Mandela, and is one of the few people who can speak of the privilege of having been both at his inauguration and funeral. “Being part of standing in line to vote at the first democratic election, to serving as an usher at the inauguration was the pinnacle of being a junior diplomat, or ‘cadets’, as we called them’” he fondly remembers.

After seeing an advertisement in The Economist about a job as a political officer in the Commonwealth Secretariat, he finally made the jump to fulfilling his childhood dream. “I applied, and long story short, I was shortlisted, went for an interview, was selected, and that was how I first entered the Commonwealth Secretariat.”

After initially being a political officer in charge of many member states in Africa on a contractual basis, Linford decided to stay on in many different guises. He first served for six months under the then-Secretary General, running the Commonwealth Electoral Network, after which he for a short period of time served as Deputy Chief of Staff, which led him to his current post as a political advisor, where he is currently based and working in London.

As Nelson Mandela once said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” From a young age, Linford and his family understood the value of a good education, and this contributed to the success of who Linford Andrews is today. For a person rubbing shoulders with the likes of people such as Ranulph Fiennes, Linford still sees himself as a true South African… one that misses his pap and melktert, at that.