MUT has officially launched its annual Mandela Month programme with a collaborative community prayer service, marking its deep commitment to local development and the spirit of Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s first democratically elected President. Held on 2 July 2026, at Christ Assemblies Church in E Section, Umlazi Township, the launch was organized in partnership with Imbumba Yokholo, an association of local pastors serving the Ward 8 Umlazi Township community. The service gathered University representatives, church and civil society leaders, Independent Electoral Commission, Umlazi residents, and youth to address and seek divine intervention for some of the most critical challenges facing the township.
Professor Busisiwe Nkonki-Mandleni, Director: Community Engagement and Development Directorate (CEAD), which coordinates the Mandela Month events, said the gathering focused heavily on pressing local issues, including poverty, crime, gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF), and substance abuse. Prayers were also dedicated to ensuring peaceful and credible local government elections scheduled for 4 November 2026, alongside fostering long-term unity and peace across communities.
The initiative received a significant boost from local media partners Intokozo FM and MUT Radio, who were on-site to broadcast and amplify the message of hope, social responsibility, and community action to the broader public.
University representatives at the launch noted that Mandela Month is not merely an exercise in remembering the late former President’s legacy. Instead, it serves as an urgent call to action for both individuals and institutions to actively live out the principles of Ubuntu, compassion, justice, service, and active citizenship, through sustainable, everyday efforts.
The prayer service signals the start of an expansive, month-long rollout of community-driven initiatives. Coordinated by MUT’s CEAD, the University’s faculties and divisions will work with external partners throughout July to drive change in several key areas, such as education support, which will be academic outreach and resource-sharing initiatives; environmental sustainability; these will be local clean-ups and greening projects; health and wellness promotion, which aims to raise awareness and providing health resources to combat local issues; and food security and social cohesion. There will be direct interventions to combat poverty and foster neighbourhood unity.
“The launch reflects MUT’s strategic commitment to remain firmly anchored in the Umlazi community,” said Professor Nkonki-Mandleni.
Through enduring partnerships with faith-based structures, community organisations, and local stakeholders, MUT continues to solidify its role as a socially responsive Institution. These programmes not only contribute directly to the development of Umlazi Township, but also offer students and staff invaluable opportunities for transformative, real-world learning.
As the rest of Mandela Month unfolds, MUT leadership calls on all students, staff, and external partners to pledge their unique skills, time, and resources toward making a tangible, lasting difference in the lives of those around them.