By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The scholar and teacher of African Renaissance Studies at the University of South Africa Shadrack Billy Otwori Gutto has died at the age of 72.
Gutto’s passing was confirmed by his family in a statement.
“Though he was in poor health for much of the past decade, including bravely overcoming cancer”, his passing on October 13 was sudden and unexpected, his family said.
“We feel the loss deeply. Our father was a teacher, adviser, scholar and mentor.”
Gutto was the founding director of the Centre for African Renaissance Studies at Unisa, which described him as a public intellectual whose expertise included constitutional law, human rights, land reform and politics.
He served under several ministers of justice and constitutional development, including Dullah Omar, Penuel Maduna, Brigitte Mabandla and Enver Surty.
Tributes
Principal and vice-chancellor Prof Puleng LenkaBula said he was “a magnanimous intellectual”.
“He was an internationally acclaimed scholar who taught at several institutions including Nairobi, Zimbabwe and Witwatersrand, where he mentored scholars who became prominent in their fields of study, “LenkaBula said.
“His brilliance was also evident in his roles as consultant to many governments including the Organisation of African Unity. Perhaps his best project that left an imprint in the African continent was the Management of Democratic Elections in Africa. This is a project he was always passionate about until his death.”
Justice and correctional services minister Ronald Lamola said Gutto significantly contributed to developing many policies, legislative instruments and institutional building mechanisms during the department’s early years.
He was an expert in constitutional law, international law, human and people’s rights, property and land rights, and law and political economy.
Gutto published widely in local and international journals on legal and African and international topics, and was the author and editor of more than 200 publications.