RESEARCHER_
SPOTLIGHT
Dr Mukovhe Masutha
Dr Masutha is the co-founder and current Head of Research, Innovation, and Advisory Services at the Centre for Emerging Researchers, a Research Associate at AMCHES, and a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Johannesburg.
Mukovhe began his career as a Policy and Strategy Analyst at the City of Tshwane’s Divisions of Economic Intelligence before progressing to the SSA’s National Division of Economic Intelligence as a Policy and Strategy Analyst. He then worked as Senior Manager: Research Strategy and Policy Analysis at the Headquarters of the African National Congress before moving back to the University of Johannesburg as a full-time Lecturer and Wits University as a Sessional Lecturer. Until recently, Mukovhe served as a Special Advisor to the Ministry in the Presidency responsible for Youth Development Special Projects.
Dr. Masutha holds a BA in Economic Geography and Urban Studies, as well as a BSc Honours in Cities Planning and Development from Wits University. He also earned an MSc in Economic Geography and SMME Incubation from the University of Johannesburg and a Ph.D. in Policy and Management from the University of Bath (UK). Mukovhe is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in National Security Studies.
Dr Masutha has served on a number of current and former advisory boards, including:
Chairman of the Advisory Committee of the South African Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology’s Nurturing Future Scholars Programme (NSP) (South Africa).
Member of the Chilean Government’s International Panel of Experts on Free Education Policies and Public Funding Strategies of Higher Education
Member of the Transnational Advisory Committee of the Black Health Matters Research Project based at the University of Toronto, Canada.
Member of the Academic Advisory Committee of the Climate Action Network for International Educators (Australia)
Member of the Technical Task Team of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Higher Education Funding Crisis (South Africa)
Member of the Presidential Youth Working Group (South Africa)
President of the Student Representative Council (Wits University, South Africa)Wits University’s Council for Readmissions Committee (South Africa)
Wits University’s Council for Readmissions Committee (South Africa)
Strategy in the Public Policy Making Cycle; Geographies of Inequality and Oppression; Higher Education Policy and Management; Debt and Indebtedness in and through Higher Education; Intelligence in Nation Formation and Nation Management; Intelligence and Fugitive Pedagogy; History of Intelligence in African Liberation Movements; Intellectual Cultures and Thought Control; Intelligence in Pre and Post-Apartheid South Africa; National
Security Strategy and National Interest Articulation across BRICS+ Nations.
Masutha, M. (2023) 2023. South African Higher Education: An analysis of the threat and opportunity landscape. Strategic Risk Leadership Conversations on Higher Education (SRLC-HE), University of Johannesburg. Auckland Park, Johannesburg.
Masutha, M. (2023) Free Trade and the Geopolitical Positioning of South Africa within BRICS. BRICS TRADE CONVENTION, CSIR, Pretoria.
Masutha, M. (2023) Trade, Nation Formation and Nation Management, Wits Business School, YAEI, Johannesburg.
Masutha, M. (2022) Predatory Samaritans, miseducation and an indentured settler-colonial state – 16 May 2022. King’s College London International Education Research Network Seminar Series, London.
Masutha, M. (2021) Against the Pedagogy of Debt King’s College London International Education Research Network 2nd Annual Meeting, London.
Masutha, M. (2021) Experiences of Black Working-class Students in South African Universities: A Transforming Field or a Field Oof Interest Convergence? King’s College London International Education
Research Network 2nd Annual Meeting, London. Masutha, M. (2021) Stories from the Margins: Narrative Accounts of Working-Class Students’ experiences of completion in South African Universities. UJ DST SARChi Chair Teaching and Learning Seminar Series. University of Johannesburg.
Masutha, M (2021) Towards a Just and Equitable Student Funding Model in South Africa. 45th Anniversary of 16 June 1976. Tshwane University of Technology.
Masutha, M. (2020) Africa and COVID-19: African bodies at home and abroad. York University, Canada.
Masutha, M. (2020) Higher education commodification in South Africa. What is at stake? Delivered at the South African Students Congress’s annual seminar on higher education funding. Johannesburg.
Phakeng, M. and Masutha, M. (2020) Planning your academic career: lessons for recent doctoral graduates. University of Cape Town’s Vice Chancellor Seminar Series.
Phakeng, M. and Masutha, M. (2020) Academic freedom in higher education. University of Cape Town’s Vice Chancellor Seminar Series.
Masutha, M. (2020) COVID-19, inequality and South African higher education. National Youth Development Agency Seminar. Johannesburg.
Masutha, M. (2019) Cultural capital and the educational achievement gap. Gauteng Province Young Writers Initiative. Johannesburg.
Masutha, M. (2023). Against the pedagogy of debt in South African higher education. African Journal of Teacher Education, 12(2Special), 48–68.
Masutha, M., & Motala, S. (2023). Free yet? Progress, setbacks, tensions and the potential futures of South Africa’s free higher education policy: A 6 year “WPR” critical review. South African Journal of Higher Education, 37(6), 193–216.
Masutha, M. (2023). Non-completion amongst black working-class students in South African universities: the dangers of a single story. In R. J. Tierney, F. Rizvi, & K. Ercikan (Eds.), International Encyclopedia of Education (Fourth Edition) (pp. 356–366). Elsevier.
Masutha, M., Naidoo, R., & Enders, J. (2023). Challenging university complicity and majoritarian narratives: counter-storytelling from black working-class students. Critical Studies in Education, 1–19.
Masutha, M., & Motala, S. (2023). Student Funding (In)equity in South African Higher Education: Fuelling or Failing Futures? In Creating the New African University (pp. 248–273). Brill.
Hammett, D., Hoogendoorn, G., & Masutha, M. (2023). “Whispered in corridors”: Intra‐national politics and practices of knowledge production in South African Human Geography. Transactions . https://doi.org/10.1111/tran.12640
Motala, S., Oketch, M., Wangenge-Ouma, G., & Masutha, M. (2023). Higher Education funding, Justice and Equity-Critical Perspectives. South African Journal of Higher Education, 37(6), 1–7.
Masutha, M. (2022). Highs, lows and turning points in marginalised transitions and experiences of noncompletion amongst pushed dropouts in South African higher education. Education Sciences. https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/12/9/608
Masutha, M., & Naidoo, R. (2021). STORIES FROM THE MARGINS. Knowledge Beyond Colour Lines: Towards Repurposing Knowledge Generation in South African Higher Education, 59.
Mathebula, M. and Masutha, M., 2021. Supporting pathways into higher education for low-income youth: Lessons from a youth-led non- profit organisation. Youth In South Africa:(in) visibility and national development, p.233.
Masutha, M., & Rogerson, C. M. (2015). Business incubation for small enterprise development: South African pathways. Urban Forum.
Masutha, M., & Rogerson, C. M. (2014). Small enterprise development in South Africa: The role of business incubators. Bulletin of Geography. Socio-Economic Series, 26(26), 141–155.
Masutha, M., & Rogerson, C. M. (2014). Small business incubators: An emerging phenomenon in South Africa’s SMME economy. Urbani Izziv