Sipho Philip Mutsi was born on 22 December 1967. He was the only son of Pulane Irene Mutsi. He grew up in Lesotho and later came to Kutlwanong Township (Odendaalsrus) with his mother and other siblings.According to Jeremy Seekings, in many townships around the country young workers, together with university and school students, generally dominated the formal leadership of the youth organisation, but there were also many young unemployed people.16 It should be noted that at school level, the most vibrant student organisation was the Congress of South African Students (COSAS). COSAS had branches in many of the African townships around the country.Sipho was the leader of COSAS in the Kutlwanong Township and that was where he cut his political teeth. His involvement in student politics was propelled by the incidents of the shooting and killing of the African National Congress (ANC) cadres by members of the South African Defence Force (SADF), in what became known as the Maseru Massacre of December 1982. The fact the his parents originated in Lesotho, his political insight was nurtured by the interaction that he had with South Africans who were exiled in Lesotho during the apartheid era. Therefore, during his visits to Lesotho, he was exposed to a lot of political material and literature there. Such material and literature was banned in South Africa due to the repressive apartheid legislations of the time. Sipho is described by his contemporaries as somebody who had an inquiring mind, particularly concerning political issues.
