News

The end of 2025 was a good time for one of the staff members in the Research directorate. Dr Melvin Sello Mothoa, Postgraduate and Postdoctoral and Fellowship Officer at the Research directorate, was awarded by his alma mater, Tshwane University of Technology, as “a Top Achiever and to receive the Best DBA (Doctor of Business Administration) Researcher Award. The Tshwane School of Business and Society (TSB) Excellence Awards took place on 11 December 2025. This “prestigious” recognition is awarded to candidates whose doctoral research demonstrates exceptional academic quality, originality, and real-world impact. The uniqueness of Dr Mothoa’s research lies in developing a practical framework tailored to the realities of SMMEs. “Unlike many studies that focus only on access to finance from a theoretical perspective, my thesis integrates policy analysis, institutional challenges, and firm-level realities to propose actionable solutions. The developed and proposed framework bridges gaps between SMMEs, financial institutions, and

Three University academics have made a significant contribution to a book published by Springer, an American publishing company specialising in academic journals and books across nursing, gerontology, psychology, social work, counselling, public health, and rehabilitation. The book, ‘Measurement, Automation, and Control in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning’, with 13 chapters, is edited by two MUT academics from the Department of Electrical Engineering: Professor Puramanathan (Ralph) Naidoo and Matthew Sibanda.  Sibanda said the book is a guidebook for the “smart factories” and automated systems of the future. “Think of it as a roadmap for making machines not just active, but aware and adaptive,” Sibanda said. The book explains how traditional industrial systems are being “upgraded” with AI: Measurement (the Senses): “Instead of a sensor just reporting a number, like it is 100 degrees, AI allows it to understand what that number means for the future, predicting if a machine is about

On Thursday, 12 February 2026, staff representatives from 37 universities in Sweden and South Africa attended the AIMday workshop for the full day. The online workshop aimed to raise awareness of the proposed AIMday events scheduled for May. AIMDay is a key deliverable of SASUF+ Work Package 1, which aims to connect academia and industry, fostering collaborative dialogue and joint research to address real-world challenges. MUT’s SASUF Coordinator, Mbali Mkhize said the team will engage the Acting Vice-Chancellor, Dr Anette Mienie to explore strategic avenues for maximising MUT’s impact and visibility in the upcoming AIMday activities. She further stated that “AIMday seeks to bridge the gap between research and practice, and brings together researchers and industry, government, and civil society to co-create solutions. This initiative stimulates partnerships between South African and Swedish universities, informs future research and funding proposals, and enhances societal impact by ensuring that academic research aligns with

MUT, like others worldwide, is commemorating Teen Suicide Week, which ran from 8 February 2026 to 14 February 2026. The theme for this year is: “Your Feelings Matter, Let’s Talk; addressing bullying, fostering supportive environments at home and school, and creating psychologically safe spaces”. During the three-day dialogue session that started on 11 February 2026, Velisiwe Ngema, a Campus Care Worker from Higher Health, based in the Student Affairs’ Counselling Unit, primarily interacted with first-year students who expressed interest in the subject. The students responded with constructive messages. Ngema said the students’ “views and responses regarding suicide were very encouraging and insightful. They were open and willing to share their thoughts”.  For instance, one stated that you should not compare yourself to others from well-off families. You need to accept what your parents can afford to give you. Ngema said: “There is still a significant amount of work that needs

The MarComms team has come in a show of force to recruit from Lesotho. This was no ordinary recruitment this time around. The focus was on engaging not only learners but also Life Orientation teachers to demonstrate MUT’s value proposition and encourage learners to apply early. “With the Central Applications Office opening the 2026/7 applications next month, as well as the fact that in Lesotho, the academic year starts in July, it was the right time to come and engage students who are not yet admitted for July. We also learned from our counterparts that you visit the institutions not once but many times to ensure brand positioning at its best”, said Zama Sishi, director for stakeholder relations management at MUT.  She further thanked the Stakeholder Relations Management (SRM) team, Sthembile Ndlovu, Ayanda Blose and Nganele Dube for their confidence in articulating the brand values to young people in an

The Humanitarian Aid Agency, known as Gift of the Givers, has recommitted to assisting MUT’s indigent students, mostly those in the missing middle. This is the 4th year of Gift of Givers’ consistent support to these students since the official launch of the MUT Indigent Student Pantry in 2023. “I wish to urge lecturers and Student Affairs to assist in identifying these students. As we noted in 2023, Gift of the Givers’ projects at MUT demonstrate the breadth and depth of a sustainable stakeholder engagement project and its ongoing support for MUT. We are overjoyed that they have once again chosen MUT as one of its friends”, said Mbali Mkhize, Senior Director of Marketing and Communications. Not long ago, Marketing and Communications informed the Acting Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Dr Anette Mienie and her executive that students trapped in queues would receive cooked meals, without hesitation, Gift of the Givers provided

The “MUT Brand Monday” campaign continues. The campaign is part of the rollout of MUT’s IGNITE 2030, the Institution’s strategy for 2026 – 2030. On Monday, more staff and students joined the campaign, which calls on everyone to wear MUT regalia and pose for a photo in the morning. While most organisations remember who they are on Fridays, MUT wants to remind its staff and students of their identity and ignite a sense of belonging from the first day of the week. The Department of Marketing and Communications and the University’s Safety, Health, and Environmental Officer, Lizwi Masondo, leave their offices to invite others who are ‘on brand’ to take a photo used on some University platforms. Mbali Mkhize, Senior Director: Department of Marketing and Communications, said “as ‘MUT Brand Mondays’ grow, they become a weekly celebration of MUT values, My MUT – Mastery, Yearning for Growth, Mutal Respect, Ubuntu,

By Carlito Sheik, broadcast journalist and radio practitioner with over 20 years at the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) There is something sacred about radio. For more than two decades in the studios of the South African Broadcasting Corporation, I have witnessed the quiet magic of a microphone switched on at dawn, the steady rhythm of a newsroom preparing bulletins, and the invisible thread that connects a broadcaster to a listener miles away. Every year on 13 February, the world pauses to celebrate that magic. In 2011 UNESCO proclaimed this day World Radio Day, and it was later adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2012, a recognition that radio remains one of the most trusted and accessible media on earth. The 2026 theme, “AI Is a Tool, Not a Voice,” speaks directly to the moment we find ourselves in, a time of extraordinary technological acceleration and equally profound

This World Radio Day also marks a historic milestone. MUT Radio is participating in a groundbreaking Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) Distance Learning Trial, the first of its kind in South Africa. This initiative explores how digital radio can deliver educational content directly to students, even in areas with limited internet connectivity. For a station rooted in Umlazi Township, one of Africa’s most vibrant and resilient townships, this is more than innovation. It is purpose. Carl Sheik, MUT Radio Consultant, said, “Digital radio, used wisely, can extend access to quality education, reach underserved communities, reduce reliance on costly data, and strengthen hybrid learning models.” Sheik further said, “In a continent where connectivity gaps remain real, radio once again demonstrates its quiet power. And this is where AI may reshape production workflows. It may assist with editing, scripting support, or music scheduling. But it cannot replicate lived experience, empathy, community memory, and

Celebrating five years in the craft of MUT Radio broadcasting, is Awethu Kelese, a now not so young man who became the first voice waking up Umlazi Township community and MUT from 16 June 2021, when MUT radio shone its studio lights for the first time. As the first presenter of the Vukubangene breakfast show, Kelese set the tone for what campus radio could be: energetic, purposeful, and rooted deeply in community. Five years later, the same voice is still there. Today, Kelese serves as MUT Radio’s Content and Programme Manager, a role that demands creativity, leadership, and editorial maturity. Yet despite the weight of these responsibilities, he remains the consistent morning voice that welcomes students, staff, and the broader community into each new day. Kelese’s ability to balance management duties with on-air excellence is a testament to his work ethic, discipline, and profound passion for broadcasting. Kelese has carried