MUT has reaffirmed its position at the forefront of higher education community development following the appointment of Professor Busisiwe Nkonki-Mandleni as Chairperson of Community Engagement South Africa (CESA).
Professor Nkonki-Mandleni, a Director of Community Engagement and Development (CEAD) at MUT, was appointed to lead the national body at the inaugural CESA Board Strategic Retreat held at Nelson Mandela University in Gqeberha on 29 June 2026. Her election marks a full-circle milestone in an institutional legacy spanning nearly two decades.
MUT’s connection to the national organisation runs deep. In 2009, the South African Higher Education Community Engagement Forum (SAHECEF), CESA’s predecessor, was officially launched at MUT. In November 2025, MUT hosted the formal transition of SAHECEF into CESA during its inaugural Scholarship of Engagement Conference, restructuring the forum into a registered Non-Profit Company (NPC) with enhanced governance. In May 2026, the inaugural CESA Board of Directors was formally constituted, with Professor Nkonki-Mandleni representing MUT.
As Chairperson, Professor Nkonki-Mandleni will lead CESA in executing its core mandate, which is to advocate for support, and evaluate community engagement across South African public universities. “I dedicate this milestone to the support of the entire MUT community and to all those who have walked this journey over the years,” said Professor Nkonki-Mandleni. “I see this appointment not simply as a personal achievement, but as part of a much longer institutional journey and a collective contribution to advancing community engagement in South African higher education,” said Professor Nkonki-Mandleni.