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Over two days, on 28 and 29 October, the University’s senior leadership attended a management Lekgotla for crucial deliberations. The managers were tasked with a significant responsibility: to carefully choose the outputs, outcomes, activities, and targets that would pave the way for the Next-Level MUT Strategy. The goals of this Lekgotla were to ensure that senior management’s voices resonated in unison as they advanced the institution’s vision, mission, and goals. Dr Liille Lekena-Bayaga, the acting Senior Director: Directorate of Institutional Planning and Research (DIPR), set the stage for this ambitious endeavour. She introduced the university’s values, encapsulated in the phrase “My-MUT.” Each letter represents a core value that would guide MUT’s strategic journey forward: M for Mastery: A commitment to excellence in all endeavours. Y for Yearning for Growth: An insatiable desire to learn and improve. M for Mutual Respect: Fostering an inclusive and supportive environment. U for Ubuntu: Emphasising

The Directorate of Institutional Planning and Research (DIPR) on 30 October 2025 hosted a celebratory breakfast with the Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Nokuthula Sibiya, and the Strategy Development Task Team (SDTT) to honour the people behind Mangosuthu University of Technology’s newly approved Strategy 2026–2030. Professor Sibiya warmly thanked SDTT members for their unwavering commitment, adding that it would be remiss not to recognise the project leader, Dr Liile Lekena-Bayaga, acting Senior Director: DIPR. “This strategy speaks to the collective aspirations of all MUT stakeholders. Thanks to Dr Lekena-Bayaga and her team for leading this process diligently, transparently, and with heart,” Professor Sibiya said. Reflecting on the road travelled, Dr Lekena-Bayaga noted the complexity of developing a strategy “in the midst of administration, an Acting Vice-Chancellor and Principal, and a newly constituted Council.” Even so, Dr Lekena-Bayaga said, the team forged a clear, evidence-based path forward, grounded in consultation and disciplined

For a student, there are two main areas to consider when planning their studies and, subsequently, their lives. These are what to study and what will happen after the student graduates. Starting with the last area – after graduation, it will be to find a job, or, as MUT recommends, ‘start your business’. The Department of Electrical Engineering, aware of the importance of these areas, has given first-semester students a clear picture of how they need to progress from their first level to the next level of their studies. In the first semester, students learn foundational subjects across the streams, enabling them to make informed choices based on interest, performance, and career aspirations. On 28 October 2025, the department held an event where first-semester students were given the opportunity to choose their streams after the first semester. Cyncol Sibiya, a lecturer in the department, said they decided to gather the

Six of the Engineering Faculty students are going to wrap up the year with their minds clear and will prepare well for the next stage of their lives and their studies. On 27 October 2025, these students met Lesego Maupa from Eskom and MUT staff from the Financial Aid Office to discuss their financial matters. Eskom, the country’s largest electricity generator, has been financially supporting the University’s students. With variations, the power giant pays for the students’ necessities. In 2025, Eskom is sponsoring seven students for a total of R409 475,00. Financial Aid Office’s Siphiwe Khuzwayo said this strengthens the working relationship between the Financial Aid Office and the sponsor.  “Both parties get the opportunity to address any issues in relation to students’ funding.  These visits also assist the students by creating a platform where they can meet face-to-face with their sponsors and iron out any issues of concern,” Khuzwayo said.

Transitioning from any level of education to university is an important rite of passage, but this step needs to be prepared for. Aware of this, universities have established relevant departments and hired specialists to help students navigate these quiet but dangerous waters. Noting the gap, Nkululeko Xaba, Administrator in the Deputy Registrar’s office, felt empowered to transfer the skills and tips that have enabled him to master the role of an office administrator. On 28 October 2025, Xaba facilitated a tailored programme for office management students from Coastal College, Umlazi. Discussions that Xaba had with the lecturers and management of Coastal College led to this programme, which was hosted at MUT to guide the college’s students on the possibility of seamlessly transitioning to the Office Management diploma at MUT. This easy switch was supported by speeches by staff from both institutions. Dr Bongani Qwabe, a Lecturer in the Department of

On 30 October 2025, one of the University’s founding members, Professor Koos Landman, paid a visit to MUT. Professor Landman was complimented by his former colleagues for being “fresh”.  Professor Landman lectured on Engineering Survey at MUT from the time he joined the Institution in 1982, when it was still a Technikon, and had about 180 students. Professor Landman retired after 40 years of service at MUT. During the four decades at MUT, he facilitated several partnerships and collaborations, including professional training in six African countries. Professor Landman co-wrote a book on his favourite subject, Engineering Surveying, while he was still at MUT. Professor Landman is now lecturing on the same subject at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. He retired in 2022.

Today, 31 October 2025, a well-known Maskandi music veteran and his wife visited the MUT Radio. Bhekisisa ‘Ihhashi Elimhlophe’ Ngcobo and Linah ‘Ebony’ Ngcobo dazzled the MUT staff that popped through the glass doors as Ngcobo danced in the live studio, while Awethu Kelese, MUT Radio Programmes’ Manager, played his music. Ihhashi Elimhlophe and Ebony talked about their love for music and how they became a couple. ‘Ihhashi Elimhlophe’, from then Natal, met ‘Ebony’ in Limpopo, and immediately fell in love with her. “I was not really taken by his story. But he was persistent,” said Ebony. The couple have been married for 40 years. They have four children, and nine grandchildren. They are an excellent example of how a love story should be put into action. Explaining how they have sustained their relationship as a married couple, Ebony said the word of God is sustaining them. “We believe every

In an exciting turn of events for Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT), President Dr Luke Wood of California State University, Sacramento is set to lead a delegation to South Africa and will spend two days at MUT on 5 and 6 November. This visit marks an extraordinary occurrence, as it comes less than 15 months after the visit last year by Dr Larry Robinson, who was President at the Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University to MUT. Such frequent visits are a rarity among top universities, where presidents typically prioritise donor meetings and fundraising over direct collaborations. Professor Nokuthula Sibiya, MUT Vice-Chancellor and Principal, expressed her enthusiasm for Dr Wood’s visit, noting its significance in elevating MUT’s profile on the global stage. “This visit puts MUT on the map and gives us the opportunity to showcase what we can achieve,” she stated. “It is a chance for our voices to be

MUT extend sincere congratulations to Professor Xolile Mkhize from the Department of Community for being awarded the Best Mentor Award on 21 October 2025. The award ceremony was hosted by the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) and the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) for its Mentorship Programme. This ceremony was also celebrating 20 years of making a difference in interns’ lives. During the ceremony in Gauteng, the Master of Ceremonies acknowledged her exceptional commitment to guiding and supporting the interns in her mentorship group. Professor Mkhize’s contributions to the academic field are well documented, and this accolade represents not only her individual accomplishment but also signifies that Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT) has achieved recognition alongside other esteemed institutions. Dr Anette Mienie, Interim DVC Research, Innovation, and Engagements (RIE), could not be prouder. “I have always known that Xoli will go far. I am honoured that I have been

The visit to MUT by the Department of Higer Education and Training on 22 and 23 October marked a defining moment — a testament to how far Cebo Nyondo has come in steering the management of the DHET grants, which include the Sibusiso Bengu Development Grant (SBDG), University Capacity Development Grant (UCDG), Infrastructure Efficiency Grant(IEG) and Clinical Training Grant (CTG) in just a short while. Managing DHET grants is no ordinary task. These multi-million-rand projects, spread across various MUT departments, demand not only technical expertise but also a rare blend of qualities — being technologically astute, numerically sharp, deeply patient, and emotionally intelligent. It’s a space where precision meets purpose. At the heart of this transformation stands Nyondo, who was faced with an immense challenge: to make sense of a complex billion-rand grants portfolio or risk MUT losing the funding altogether. Instead of retreating, Nyondo rose to the occasion. Within