FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
15 May 2026
MUT secures close to R5 million grant to transform Agricultural graduates into job creators
Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT) has reached a major milestone in its mission to champion entrepreneurship, with the Faculty of Applied and Health Sciences securing a substantial R4,950,000.00 grant from the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD). The funding, confirmed on 11 May 2026, establishes MUT as the official Higher Education Institution partner for the delivery of an Entrepreneurship Development Programme. This initiative specifically targets unemployed agricultural graduates across KwaZulu-Natal, providing them with the tools to build sustainable agri-enterprises.
This breakthrough comes less than a year after MUT’s historic institutional drive, launched in September 2025, to embed entrepreneurship education across all faculties. Professor Marcus Ramogale, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Teaching and Learning, has been the driving force behind this mandate. “We only produce job seekers. No one produces job creators,” Professor Ramogale has frequently noted, emphasizing the urgency for every academic programme to produce graduates with the mindset of an employer.
The successful bid was a result of a competitive process where MUT’s proposal was selected ahead of several other universities’. This achievement was fuelled by a dedicated inter-departmental effort. Dr. Farayi Murungu, the Head of the Department of Agriculture, provided academic leadership; Dr Helen Mapeka, a Lecturer in Animal Production in the department, provided technical expertise and coordinated the application; while Philile Sithole, from the Institutional Advancement division, ensured the submission met rigorous procurement requirements.
“The team’s collective effort demonstrates the University’s capacity to develop highly competitive funding applications,” said Dr. Murungu. “While our internal programmes shift the mindset of our current students, this DARD-funded initiative extends that mission to communities across the province.”
The training is set to commence within the current financial year at two locations – Cedara in Pietermaritzburg and Owen Sithole on the North Coast.
Professor Alfred Msomi, Dean of the Faculty of Applied and Health Sciences, expressed his pride in the faculty’s accomplishment: “This R4.95 million grant is a powerful affirmation of MUT’s strategic shift. The agricultural sector presents a critical opportunity to address youth unemployment while simultaneously contributing to food security and rural economic development. We are transforming the landscape of the province by empowering graduates to create their own futures.”
About Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT)
MUT is committed to providing career-oriented skills and a culture of entrepreneurship. Through its three faculties, the university strives to produce innovative graduates who contribute meaningfully to the South African economy and social development.
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