Mathew Cuthbert

Mathew Cuthbert
MP
Shadow Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry
In office
5 June 2019 – 21 April 2023
LeaderJohn Steenhuisen
Mmusi Maimane
Succeeded byDarren Bergman
Member of the National Assembly of South Africa
Incumbent
Assumed office
22 May 2019
Personal details
Born
Mathew John Cuthbert

(1993-09-21) 21 September 1993 (age 31)
NationalitySouth African
Political partyDemocratic Alliance
OccupationMember of Parliament
ProfessionPolitician

Mathew John Cuthbert (born 21 September 1993) is a South African politician who served as the Shadow Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry from June 2019 until April 2023. A member of the Democratic Alliance, he was elected to the National Assembly in May 2019. Before that, Cuthbert served as a councillor in the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality.

Political career

Cuthbert is a member of the Democratic Alliance. He served as a councillor and as the shadow mayoral committee member for economic development in the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality until his election to Parliament.[1]

In March 2019, the Democratic Alliance announced their parliamentary candidates for the general election on 8 May.[1] Cuthbert was placed 60th on the party's national list and 15th on the party's Gauteng regional list.[2] After the election, he was announced as an incoming parliamentarian.[3] He was sworn in on 22 May 2019.[2] On 5 June 2019, the DA parliamentary leader, Mmusi Maimane, selected him to be the Shadow Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry.[4] Cuthbert became a member of the Portfolio Committee on Trade and Industry on 27 June.[2]

In 2020, Cuthbert supported Helen Zille's bid to be re-elected as chairperson of the DA's Federal Council, the party's second highest-decision making body.[5] He also supported interim leader John Steenhuisen's leadership campaign.[6] After Steenhuisen was elected leader for a full term, he kept Cuthbert in the Shadow Cabinet as Shadow Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry.[7]

On 21 April 2023, Cuthbert was appointed the DA's Head of Policy following Gwen Ngwenya's departure to lead Airbnb's policy and legislative activities in the Middle East and Africa. Darren Bergman succeeded him as Shadow Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition.[8]

Personal life

Cuthbert is a cousin of AfriForum president Kallie Kriel.[1] In an interview in May 2018, Kriel said that apartheid was not a crime against humanity. Cuthbert called his comment "disgusting".[9]

References

  1. ^ a b c Tandwa, Lizeka (17 March 2019). "A phenomenal doctor, a YouTuber and two researchers walk into the DA - six DA candidates you may not know". News24. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
  2. ^ a b c "Mathew John Cuthbert". People's Assembly. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
  3. ^ "SEE: These are the people who will represent you in Parliament, provincial legislatures". News24. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  4. ^ Gerber, Jan (5 June 2019). "Here's the DA's 'shadow cabinet'". News24. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
  5. ^ Mavuso, Sihle (6 October 2020). "Zille sets ball rolling to be re-elected as DA's federal council chair". Pretoria News. Retrieved 5 December 2020 – via Pressreader.
  6. ^ Gerber, Jan (31 October 2020). "DA elective conference: Who supports who?". News24. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
  7. ^ Mazzone, Natasha (5 December 2020). "DA announces new Shadow Cabinet that will bring Real Hope and Real Change". Democratic Alliance. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
  8. ^ "Mathew Cuthbert replaces Gwen Ngwenya as DA's head of policy". TimesLIVE. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
  9. ^ Mitchley, Alex (16 May 2018). "Kriel's cousin labels his apartheid comment as disgusting". News24. Retrieved 9 October 2020.