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@MUT Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Nokuthula Sibiya, through the student recruitment office, delivered messages of support and well-wishes as the matric class of 2025 prepares to take their final exam. The relationship between MUT and Umlazi High School Principals has strengthened MUT’s impact within its community. #Matric2025 #MUT

The farmers of Umzimkhulu, a rural area on the south coast of KwaZulu-Natal, have again benefited significantly from the efforts of the University’s Department of Agriculture. In February this year, project leader Dr Helen Mapeka, one of the few registered female reproductive operators in the country, and members of CEAD went to Umzimkhulu to continue an empowerment project called Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART). As a continuation of the project, the Department of Agriculture and its external stakeholders – the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Agriculture, the Agriculture Research Council (ARC), the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), and local farmers’ associations took part in Farmers’ Day at the Esayidi TVET in the area. One of the highlights of the event was when Dr Mapeka, and Dr Jabulani Ngcobo, a Lecturer at TUT, told the local farmers how they could increase the quality and quantity of their cattle and sheep production by streamlining the

MUT departments are known for involving their students in research and practical components of their academic programme. On 7 October 2025, the Department of Agriculture took a full load of students to the Farmers’ Day hosted by Esayidi TVET at Umzimkhulu, on the south coast of KwaZulu-Natal. The department aimed to expose students to the practical aspects of the programme. The students learnt a lot from the experience. Zalunga Zibula, a student studying Agricultural Animal Production, defined the trip as an enriching experience. “We observed practical demonstrations of artificial insemination in cattle and sheep, and learned how to identify heat behaviours, and apply hormone treatments to induce heat, ensuring that the animals are ready for conception.” Zibula said that the experience was informative and helped them to not only gain practical knowledge but also understand how to organise, collaborate, and support rural communities.  He added that the event provided them

The recent Farmer’s Field Day, held in Umzimkhulu and jointly organised by the Department of Agriculture at Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT) and the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (KZN DARD), highlighted inspiring evidence of MUT’s growing impact in agricultural education and leadership. During the event, staff and students were delighted to discover that a significant number of MUT Agriculture alumni are now serving as lecturers and senior lecturers at various TVET colleges, including Esayidi TVET College, which hosted the event. Dr Farayi Murungu, the Head of MUT’s Department of Agriculture, said the presence of alumni in these institutions underscores MUT’s important role in producing competent graduates who contribute directly to agricultural training and capacity development in the province. Dr Murungu, who was very excited about this development, said that equally noteworthy, one of the department’s former students is now serving as a Deputy Director within the KwaZulu-Natal

In Zulu culture, there is a saying: “The first customer to buy from your shop opens the door for many more to come.” This proverb aptly captures what recently occurred at the Faculty of Applied and Health Sciences at Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT). On the morning of 10 October 2025, Professor Alfred Msomi, the newly appointed dean of the faculty, received the first donation from Cataler South Africa (Pty) Ltd, signalling that more donations from other stakeholders would follow in the future. The giving ceremony was attended by the faculty heads of departments, MarComms, as well as Dr Xolile Ngubane, senior director in the Office of the VC. Professor Msomi said, “The official handover of the state-of-the-art microscopy and imaging equipment is a momentous day, not only because of the cutting-edge instruments arriving on campus, but also because it marks a new chapter for me as a newly appointed

The Department of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has achieved a major milestone as its student team advanced to the finals of the DIRISA Datathon 2025, organised by the Data Intensive Research Initiative of South Africa (DIRISA), a subdivision of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). The datathon brings together top-performing universities from South Africa and the SADC region to compete in solving real-world challenges using data science.  A datathon is a time-limited, collaborative competition where teams use data analysis skills to solve a specific data-driven problem. A datathon is similar to a hackathon, but it focuses on data.  Those participating in the datathon are given access to datasets and work to extract insights, identify trends, and create innovative solutions, such as predictive models or visualisations. All this is supposed to happen within a set timeframe. A Lecturer in the Department of Information Communication and Technology (ICT), Xolisa

An initiative proposed as a collaboration between Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT) and the Municipal Infrastructure Support Agent (MISA) has yielded results. On 8 October 2025, the two organisations met at MUT to launch the collaboration, which focuses on bringing together students, academics, and infrastructure professionals in discussions on the intersections of heritage, education, and resilient infrastructure planning. Zama Hlubi, Job Placement Officer at the Department of Co-Operative Education, said the event, which will be held on an annual basis, is structured to attract students from the Faculty of Engineering, specifically those interested in built environments. The initiative is geared towards students in built environment disciplines, who are uniquely positioned to contribute to South Africa’s infrastructure transformation agenda. The theme of the event was: spatial justice and resilient futures: integrating heritage, education, and infrastructure planning.” The theme reflects the academic imperative to approach infrastructure planning holistically, considering historical context, spatial

The night of 3 October 2025 will always be a lovely time to look back on, for all of MUT. This is the first time that two of the University’s divisions collaborated to host the Research and Community Engagement Awards for the year. Before this year’s arrangement, it was just the Research Awards; here we are talking about some very pleasant nights over the years. This time it was double the fun. The awards are when University staff are honoured and thanked for their toils.  The Research Awards consider the last two years of performance, whereas the Community Engagement Awards consider the last 12 months of performance. Dr Anette Mienie, the founding Director of the Research directorate, and the Interim Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Innovation and Engagement (RIE), said the awards were bittersweet for her. “It was the last research awards event that I attended as an employee of MUT. It

The adage “leave the stage while they are still clapping” encapsulates a profound principle of leadership and legacy. This phrase underscores the importance of recognising the appropriate time to step away—not due to a diminished capacity or need, but because one’s contributions have been executed with such excellence and completeness that one’s absence will elicit admiration rather than relief. It emphasises the importance of concluding a tenure on a strong note, exiting gracefully, and paving the way for emerging leaders—while the accolades remain earnest, resonant, and well-deserved. Dr Anette Mienie, interim Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research, Innovation, and Engagements, is currently undertaking a thoughtful transition as she prepares for her retirement next year—a transition characterised not by a subdued departure, but by a commendable farewell that reflects her impactful leadership. Her tenure has been distinguished by vision, integrity, and a profound commitment to the development of those within her sphere of

Dr Mienie expressed that it is a considerable honour to oversee the Research Directorate, which has experienced substantial growth over the past 25 years. “I am immensely grateful to the funding organisations that have supported the establishment of positions within the Research Directorate,” she stated. She highlighted the contributions of a dynamic and proficient team, which invigorates her leadership and enhances the visibility of their initiatives. In addition to established members Sfiso Qwabe and Sindi Ngongoma, the team has been augmented by the expertise of Dr Mandla Hlongwane, Deputy Director of Intellectual Property; Dr Melvin Mothoa, responsible for the Higher Degrees and Postdoctoral Research Fellowship; Mthobeli Myeza, who manages the NRF and Pre-grant Administration (NRF Funded); Makhosi Cebekhulu, serving as the Intellectual Property Administrator; Nozipho Mnguni, Secretary for the Higher Degrees and Postdoctoral Research Fellowship; and several interns including Portia Dlamini (Intern in Intellectual Property), Senamile Zuma (Intern for the