For many students at Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT), the path to a degree is paved with more than just academic challenges; it is often a battle against necessity. On 23 February 2026, the University will take a decisive step to ensure that hunger does not hinder that journey, as it prepares to issue the first round of food parcels for the new academic year.
The distribution will take place at the campus pantry, located near the iconic Seme Hall, a site where hundreds of students will soon gather to receive essential nutritional support. The primary beneficiaries of this initiative are students who fall outside the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) safety net. Without government funding to cover daily living expenses, these students often face the “silent crisis” of food insecurity.
At the heart of the operation is a face well-known to the campus community: Bhekumuzi Mtshali. As a Warden for one of the main campus residences and the coordinator of the feeding programme, Mtshali understands the stakes. “During the early hours of 23 February, we will be at the pantry putting together the food parcels,” Mtshali explained. “We are expecting more than 500 students to come through for collection later that day.”
This vital support system is made possible through a long-standing partnership with Gift of the Givers, the renowned South African disaster relief and charity organisation. The collaboration dates to a time of crisis in 2017. Mbali Mkhize, Senior Director of the Department of Marketing and Communications, recalls the initiative’s origins. Following devastating floods that stripped many students of their belongings and food supplies, Mkhize penned a proposal to the charity organisation.
“It was important to ensure the students had something to eat that would last them for some time,” says Mkhize. “Gift of the Givers stepped in then, and they have been with the University ever since.”
The 2026 distribution continues a legacy of holistic student support. By addressing the physical need for sustenance, the University and its partners are directly contributing to the student body’s mental focus and academic performance.
As the Seme Hall area prepares for the influx of 500-plus students this coming Tuesday, the message from MUT is clear: no student should have to choose between their dignity and their education.