Michael Masutha (born Tshililo Micheal Masutha; 18 November 1965 in Valdezia) is a South African politician. He is also minister of Justice and Correctional Services.
He is a Member of the Justice and Constitutional Development Committee. Masutha is a founding member of the Northern Transvaal Association for the Blind.
Age
He was born on 18 November 1965 in Valdezia. Michael Masutha is 54 years old (2019).
Membership
He is a member of the Justice and Constitutional Development Committee and also a member of the Rules Committee.
Masutha is a member of the Constitutional Review Committee and the chair of the Social Development Committee.
He is also the chair of the Standing Committee on the Auditor General and the Subcommittee on Review of Rules the Adhoc Committee on Delegated Legislation.
Political Career
During his University days, Masutha was a part of the movements for disabled students advocating for the provision of appropriate support.
Masutha was a founding member of the Northern Transvaal Association for the Blind in 1986. He was also a member of the National Council for the Blind’s Executive Committee (1989-96).
He also advocated for the removal of discriminatory laws against blind people, especially in protective employment.
Masutha was a co-founder of the Equileg Programme of the Southern African Federation.
He became the Member of the Parliament representing the African National Congress in 1999.
Professional Career
He is actively part of a delegation of the Human Rights Committee of Disabled People to the United Nations in 1991.
He served as an advocate of the High Court of South Africa in 1995.
Masutha was the Director of the Disability Rights Unit at Lawyers for Human Rights in (1991-96).
He served as the Head Head of the Legal Services in the Department of Social Development in 1996. There he specialised in Children’s Rights and Social Security Law.
Contact Details
Political Party
- African National Congress (ANC)
- ministry@justice.gov.za
Phone
- 074 764 4812
- 082 496 8837
- 012 406 4669
Fax
- 012 406 4680
News
Masutha said he felt good to have served the country for 20 years and was not bitter that he did not cut parliament.
Unlike his colleagues who resigned to cash in on their ministerial benefits, former minister Michael Masutha said he did not have to resign and is now happily awaiting his pension.
This comes after yet another former minister, Mildred Oliphant, resigned yesterday. Nine others resigned after being left out of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Cabinet, and are now just regular members of parliament.
Retaining their jobs would mean their salaries of more than R2.4 million a year would be reduced to a little over R1 million – a near 50% pay cut. They would also have to forfeit the benefits of a ministerial position.
Not having to take the hard decision his colleagues were faced with, former justice minister Masutha said he was waiting for his pension.
He explained he did not have to resign as MP because he did not cut the latest national parliamentary list, and was about 20 names below the threshold.