Michael Shackleton holds an LLB and LLM in Constitutional & Administrative Law from the University of Pretoria, complemented by a Postgraduate Certificate in Corporate Law and a Certificate in Provincial and Local Government Law. He is a Certified Professional Director (SA) and Certified Chair, with training in Strategic Leadership, Competition Law, the MFMA, the PFMA, and the Executive Development Programme for the Public Sector. He is also a graduate of the Friedrich Naumann Stiftung International Academy for Leadership’s Local Politics and Citizen Participation Programme (2015), held in Gummersbach, Germany, and the JCI Japan Academy (2023), an elite global leadership academy with one delegate per country.
He serves as Legal Executive of the National Horseracing Authority of Southern Africa, overseeing regulatory, disciplinary, and governance matters. A former practising attorney with over a decade of experience, Michael also served in the office of the Gauteng MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development as Community Outreach and Legislature Support Officer. He is the Legal Director of the Directors Association, was In-house Legal Counsel for ActionSA, and has lectured law at three colleges. He also served as a Non-Executive Director of Credit Intel.
Michael is a former Member of Parliament, Member of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature, and City Councillor in Tshwane. He has served on the Investigating, Disciplinary and Mediation Committee of the Legal Practice Council in Gauteng. He is a Non-Executive Director of The Earth Centre NPO and Legal Advisor to the International Women’s Federation of Commerce & Industry SA.
In Toastmasters International, he is a Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM)—the organisation’s highest honour—and serves as District 74 Club Fitness Rewards Champion, promoting club excellence across Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, and South Africa.
Michael is Chairperson of World Speech Day South Africa, Immediate Past President of JCI South Africa, and Secretary General of the JCI South Africa Senate Association. He is a JCI Senator, the highest honour in Junior Chamber International.
Honours & Awards
- Top 4 Outstanding Young Persons – South Africa (2017)
• News24’s 100 Young Mandelas (2019)
• Toastmasters Area Director of the Year – Southern Africa (2020/2021)
• Inside Education’s 100 SA Shining Stars (2022)
• Lifetime Member – Golden Key International Honour Society (since 2023)
• Southern African Change Catalyst Awards (2024)
• Top 100 Influential Men in South Africa (2025)
• JCI Most Outstanding Mentor in the World (2025)