MUT’s courtyard and the Faculty of Engineering passages are now quiet. Forever! And Ronald Gayapershad, a Lecturer in the Department of Mechanical, will now travel to industry only with his students; and his family will no longer hear the loud voice of a guest who used to show up anytime at his house. Dr Richard Chidzonga, the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, will no longer hear someone shouting from across the courtyard. Most likely, Dr Keith Zwane, one of the leaders of TENUSA, a labour union at MUT, will miss someone who got a huge number of staff to register with his union. And the students of Mechanical Engineering will no longer hear a loud voice, giving them not only lectures but also guidance on what they need to do to succeed in life. Some of the Mechanical Engineering students will now only hear the recorded voice of a man who was known for being loud, jolly, and fair. Oh, also, the Department of Marketing and Communications Schools Liaison staff have already said that they will miss a certain gentleman, some called ‘Nondaba’, when they have University Open Days.
This is the extent to which MUT will be impacted by the passing of Zakhele Mathews Zondi, a Lecturer in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. Zondi passed away on 8 October 2025. Those who visited him in the hospital heard the familiar loud voice as they were struggling to find him in the ward. “I am here”, Zondi shout. As they left the hospital, they were hopeful that Zondi would recover and join them soon. He himself said so. But that will no longer be the case. During his memorial service, which took place at MUT’s Student Centre on 15 October 2025, Professor Alfred Msomi, speaking on behalf of Management, appealed to the Department of Mechanical Engineering staff to assume Zondi’s responsibilities so that the students would not be negatively affected by his passing away. All the speakers at the memorial services had similar descriptions of Zondi – a loud man, who was fair, energetic, committed to his duties as a lecturer and union leader, and to improving his profession. He was nearing the completion of his PhD. Zondi’s family is also incurring a heavy loss. One of his sons said so and promised that he was going to honour his father’s guidance.
Zondi, who joined the University in 2006, and made many friends, not a single enemy, will be buried on 18 October 2025. MUT staff will join the family and Zondi’s church friends at Umlazi’s G hall to say their goodbyes to a man who touched everyone’s heart by his loudness and his grace. Dr Zwane, directing the programme at the memorial service, said that there would be something “wrong” with someone who had a grudge with Zondi.