On Wednesday, 25 March, the Human Resources and Development (HR&D) Department at MUT hosted its quarterly new employee induction day, marking a step towards strengthening staff integration and institutional alignment. The session brought together newly appointed staff members from across the university, including two notable inductees: Professor Rushiella Songca, MUT’s Interim Vice-Chancellor and Principal, and Sipho Mgedezi, Senior Director for Human Resources and Development. Both assumed their roles on the same day, on 1 March 2026, underlining a shared starting point as they begin to shape their respective contributions to the institution.
Welcoming the new employees, Professor Songca used the occasion to outline her 100-day plan, which centres on structured engagement with staff across the university. She described this process as a series of two-way conversations aimed at collectively defining how MUT can move forward under the “IGNITE 2030” vision.
Sipho Mgedezi also addressed the gathering, highlighting existing programmes within the HR&D portfolio and indicating how these would be strengthened through new approaches and insights he brings to the role. His remarks pointed to a focus on enhancing staff development and organisational effectiveness. The induction created space for orientation and dialogue. New staff members contributed perspectives on how the university could improve operational efficiency, offering practical insights drawn from their varied professional backgrounds.
Apart from Professor Songca and Mgedezi’s welcome, the event also included a collective welcome from members of the executive and senior leadership, signalling a commitment to fostering an inclusive and engaged institutional culture from the outset.