Boraine was a lawyer and theologian who is best known for putting forward the idea of South Africa having a Truth and Reconciliation Commission. He went on to be its vice chair alongside Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, from 1996 to 1998.
From 1986 to 1995, Boraine headed two South African non-profit organisations concerned with ending apartheid and addressing the legacy it left behind.
In October 2000 Boraine was awarded the President’s Medal for Human Rights in Italy.
In November 2000, Boraine published a book titled A Country Unmasked, and in 2008 his biography, A Life in Transition.