Secretary for Defence/Director-General Mr J.B. Masilela

Mr Masilela was born in Mpumalanga, South Africa where he grew up and did his secondary school education until he left the country for exile.   While in exile he trained in Lybia, Soviet Union, Germany Democratic Republic and Cuba.   He was a Commissar (Deputy Commander) in the Umkhonto WeSizwe Head Quarters in Angola and Chairman of Regional Political Military Council in Botswana.   On returning from exile he held the following senior positions: 1994-1997, Member of the Executive Council (MEC) Local Government; 1997-1999, Member of the Executive Council (MEC) Department of Agriculture and 1999 Member of the Executive Council (MEC) Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Environment until he was appointed as the Secretary for Defence/Director-General.

He received his Diploma in Social Sciences from Moscow Institute of Social Sciences and did the Senior Management Programme at the University of Pretoria.   He has successfully done a number of military school courses among them Basic Infantry Course, Senior Instructor’s course, Commanders Course and Military and Combat work.

In 1981 he was part of the African National Congress Military Mission to German Democratic Republic.   He accompanied the late O.R. Tambo to Algeria in 1985 as the Chief Military Advisor.   In 1986 he was a member of the Military Advisory Team of the Military Delegation that was led by J. Slovo to USSR.

In 1995 and 1996 he was a member of the government delegation that visited Taiwan and Canada on a Trade and Investment Mission respectively.   He was the leader of the delegation that visited Bulgaria and Portugal on a Trade and Investment Mission in 1997.   In 1998 he visited the People’s Republic of China on Trade and Investment Mission.

As the Head of Department for Defence he has played an instrumental role in the signing of International Agreements in and outside the boarders of the Republic of South Africa. 

Mr Masilela is married and he has six children.