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Mangosuthu University of Technology Annual Report
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DEPARTMENT
NAME STAFF
QUALIFICATION ACHIEVED
HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Mr L Mthimkhulu
MCom IR (UKZN)
OFFICE MANAGEMENT & TECHNOLOGY Mrs V Moodley
PGDipHE (Rhodes)
Mrs Motta
PGDipHE (Rhodes)
Mr MW Ngcobo
PGDipHE (Rhodes)
Mr MW Ngcobo
MED (HE) (UKZN)
5.3.3. Faculty of Natural Sciences
A major highlight for the Faculty of Natural Sciences was
the commencement of the offering of a Postgraduate
Diploma in Nature Conservation. This is the first
postgraduate programme to be offered at MUT and it
articulates to a Master’s degree programme. The Faculty
also received the CHE’s conditional accreditation to offer
a Master’s Degree in Nature Conservation and Bachelor of
Science in Medical Laboratory Science.
Instruction
Modes of lecture delivery within the Faculty included
chalkboard, PowerPoint presentations, Blackboard,
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Skype and various Web 2.0
applications.
Limitation on Access to Certain Courses
Space constraints limited the number of students
that could be admitted to agricultural fields. A similar
constraint was experienced in the Department of
Information and Communication Technology as a result of
inadequate computer laboratories. Student enrolment in
the Biomedical Technology programme was limited by the
capacity of the pathology industry to absorb only a fixed
number of Medical Technology graduates each year (e.g.
the private laboratories such as Ampath and Lancet and
the national health laboratory services).
Student Awards and Achievements
The 2015 student pass rate for the Faculty was above
83%, with a number of students receiving the Dean’s
Commendation Award by virtue of their aggregate marks
being at least 75%. In particular, student L P Tshapa, who
was registered for the BTech in Nature Conservation, won
the 2015 Vice-Chancellor’s Award for the best student in
the Faculty of Natural Sciences.
A contributing factor to the high pass rate in the Faculty
might be attributed to the continuation of the engagement
of Tutors who assisted students by reinforcing teaching
and learning, thus enhancing understanding of what was
learnt during classroom and laboratory instructions. The
other contributing factor to the high pass rate, in relevant
departments, was the student field trips funded through
the DHET’s Teaching Development Grant. Field trips are
one of the most effective teaching techniques compared
to pure lectures and may also be used to help students
recognise problems and define problems, especially in
fields of agriculture and food science, thus enhancing
understanding of these instructional offerings.
Staff Appointments and Qualifications
The following appointments were made in 2015:
• Mr V N Ndou (MSc) was appointed as a Lecturer in
the Department of Community Extension;
• Mr R Lentsoane (MSc) and Mrs L D Mbuyisa (MSc)
were appointed in the Department of Nature
Conservation;
• Mr A S Mabaso (MSc) was appointed a lecturer in the
Department of Mathematical Sciences;
• Dr Z L Kwitshana (PhD) was appointed as Head of
Department in Biomedical Sciences;
• Mrs V Nundkissor ( B Tech) and Mrs K. Bhengu
(B Tech) were appointed as Junior Lecturer and
Control Laboratory Technologist respectively in the
Department of Biomedical Sciences.
• Ms S Shezi (BTech Nature Conservation) was
appointed in terms of the nGAP programme; and
• Mr MB Mutanga (MSc) was appointed as a Contract
Lecturer in the Department of Information and
Communication Technology.
Mr BMS Khawula completed the Master’s Degree in Public
Management at the Durban University of Technology and
the graduation ceremony was held in April 2016.
5.4 Academic Progress in Different
Disciplines and Levels of Study
Student Enrolments
Figure 5.7 below shows MUT’s student headcount
enrolments including Work Integrated Learning (WIL)
over the period 2013 to 2015. Enrolment in the Faculty of
Engineering grew from 41% to 44% whereas the enrolment
in the Faculty of Management Sciences decreased from
41% to 38%. The Faculty of Natural Sciences’ enrolment
remained unchanged at 18%.