Strong institutional relationships and the power of networking took centre stage at the Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT) on 21 May 2026, as the Department of Marketing and Communications welcomed back a long-standing ally of the university.
Mbali Mkhize, Senior Director of Marketing and Communications, warmly received Dan Maritz, the former Communications and Marketing Director at Central University of Technology (CUT) and now currently serving as Director of Community Engagement at the same university.
The visit served as a reminder of the collaborative ties between South Africa’s higher education institutions. Maritz, who was on campus to attend the annual Community Engagement Day hosted by MUT’s Community Engagement and Development (CEAD) directorate, made a deliberate point to stop by and reconnect with his colleagues before the conclusion of the day’s events. Mkhize highly commended Maritz for his historical support of MUT, particularly his past efforts in coordinating and bringing major delegations to the university’s signature annual Empowered Administrators Conference (EAC). “Dan, you have done something we all appreciate,” Mkhize expressed, thanking him for his enduring dedication to the institution.
Introducing Maritz to her team, Mkhize used the moment to emphasise to her staff how crucial sustained, professional relationships are to the university’s overarching success. She noted that the impromptu reunion was a perfect real-world example of how bridges built through networking can create lasting, mutually beneficial friendships across the higher education sector.