Ka cika wannan jumla: Madonsela ta yi renon yaranta biyu, namiji da tamace, ita kaɗai ce take renonsu. Mijinta ya mutu sa'ad da yaran suke ƙanana. A cikin 1980, Madonsela ta fara aikinta a matsayin mataimakin malami a tsohuwar makarantar ta, Evelyn Baring High School, a Swaziland. A shekarar 1982 ta zama mataimakiyar malami a makarantar sakandare ta Naledi da ke Soweto, daya daga cikin makarantun da ke tsakiyar rikicin 1976.
Tashin Soweto. A ƙarshen Yuli 2018, an bayyana cewa Madonsela ta yi alkawari da Dick Foxton, mai ba da shawara kan hulɗa da jama'a.