In a landmark celebration of institutional recovery and governance reform, MUT Council Chairperson Dr Mosidi Makgae announced that an unqualified audit opinion signalled a major turnaround from previous financial disclaimer and administrative setbacks.
Addressing key stakeholders on 23 October, including Deputy Chairperson Connie Mametja, Interim Vice-Chancellor and Principal Professor Songca, Executive Management, organised labour (NEHAWU and TENUSA), Dr Makgae emphasised that the achievement reflects systemic discipline, restored confidence, and ethical governance.
Dr Makgae commended Chief Financial Officer Bulelani Mahlangu, the Finance team, the Audit and Risk Committee, and the Executive Management Committee for their relentless efforts in rectifying historical records and strengthening internal controls.
Besides financial recovery, the Council Chair outlined several other critical milestones achieved across campus. Some of these are the successful implementation of a new online student registration system to eliminate long registration queues; network stabilisation efforts; the lifting of the moratorium on academic programmes, thus allowing MUT to expand and diversify its programme portfolio to align with market demands; and the beautification of University grounds and the launch of the Founders Annual Lecture honouring the legacy of Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi.
Looking ahead, MUT Council has set a firm performance agenda focused on academic excellence, which seeks to improve student-to-academic staff ratios and increasing the proportion of doctoral-qualified academics; upgrading ICT infrastructure to support Fourth Industrial Revolution capabilities and technology-driven curricula; eliminating regulatory submission delays to the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET); and accelerating delayed infrastructure projects, improving research output, and generating third-stream income.
“The future of MUT is not something we are going to wait for; it is something we must build together,” Dr Makgae said, calling on all University constituencies to maintain integrity and shared purpose.