One of CPUT’s finest returned to the institution this week to encourage young graduates to reach for the top.

In his back-to-basics speech Gavin Mageni reminded the hall of the importance of small courtesies like greeting and looking neat at work.

Mageni, who is part of Executive Management at the Absa Group, graduated with his Human Resources BTech and Masters Cum Laude from CPUT and is currently completing his Doctorate through the institution as well.

The former teacher told graduates they needed to fall in love with their jobs regardless of how much it paid.

“As you venture into the job market find the sweet spot and make sure you never work a day in your life,” he says.

“Passion must overtake you. Be proud of your job. Earn it.”

Mageni also concentrated on the realities of entering an overpopulated job market.

“That piece of paper (diploma) will contribute 10% to your career,” he says.

Mageni told graduates that they needed to concentrate the other 90% of their efforts on things like appearance, interviewing skills and broadening their horizons by keeping up to date with current affairs.

“People make up their minds in the first 40 seconds about you so look decent and have an idea of what’s going on around you,” he says.

CPUT Vice Chancellor Prof L V Mazwi-Tanga encouraged the graduates to uphold the proud name of CPUT.

“Be our ambassadors and put in a good word for this university,” she says.

The third Business Faculty graduation ceremony continues in Cape Town on Tuesday morning and moves to Bellville that evening.

By LAUREN KANSLEY

Picture by CLIVE GALANT

Written by CPUT News
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CPUT and Queens College in New York have much in common.

Both institutions place a high priority on ensuring students have access to affordable and exceptional education and that they produce graduates who are socially responsive.

These similarities and other areas of common ground were recently discussed when a delegation from Queens College met with Vice-Chancellor Dr Prins Nevhutalu and the university’s Executive Management, to discuss possible areas of collaboration.

The visit to CPUT is in preparation for the institution’s year of South African celebrations that will take place next year.

Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr Elizabeth Hendry, says each year Queens College identifies one country and during that period focuses on establishing research collaborations as well as staff and student exchange programmes with institutions in the identified country.

“We are here in advance to establish relationships that will last for a long time,” says Hendry.

Director of the CPUT International Office, Merle Hodges, says there is a lot of synergy between the institutions and that they are looking at setting up concrete collaborations in a number of areas.

The areas that have been identified include education, design, water and sanitation and environmental sustainability.

Written by Candes Keating
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Provides coverage for the Engineering and Applied Sciences Faculties; the Bellville and Wellington Campuses, and research and innovation news.

One of CPUT’s core values is ubuntu, and the drive to supply food to needy students attests to this.

Last year the university established a Task Team under the ambit of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Operations, Prof Gilingwe Mayende, to develop a sustainable food security programme for the institution. The team has recently tabled a draft report during an Executive Management (EM) meeting for approval.

“The current initiatives have been on an adhoc basis with the Dean of Students’ office issuing vouchers after doing a due diligence, on a once-off basis to students in dire need,” says Tulani Nkuntse, Deputy Dean of Students.

Nkuntse adds that other similar efforts have been from individual staff members and that the Department of Student Affairs has also been assisting with food parcels, an operation which was facilitated by the HIV/AIDS Unit.

He says that needy students are identified using a “referral system”. “Most of the students are referred to us by lecturers, health practitioners from our clinic and from our counselling department. Our Residence Coordinators have also been instrumental in bringing these cases to our attention.”

After receiving the student’s name, due diligence is conducted and based on the outcome the student gets assisted, he confirms.

The draft report, which was tabled in front of the university management, entails the proposed plan on how the university will sustain rendering the support of this nature to students. “What I can say at this stage is that the principles on which the proposed model is based are underpinned by social justice, human rights and dignity,” adds Nkuntse.

Mayende says that EM expressed its general appreciation for the work done by the Task Team and that they made certain suggestions on how to “firm up” certain aspects of the model presented in the report. 

“A key suggestion that has been made is to ensure that the programme is brought into the ambit of the Second Stream Income Committee and to utilise institutional arrangements to support fundraising efforts that are already in place at CPUT,” he adds.

In the past, about 400 needy students at CPUT residences have benefitted from food parcels, thanks to a collaborative project between the university management, residence managers and Residence Student Assistants.

Written by Kwanele Butana
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The Executive Management of CPUT is responsible for the management of the institution. The Executive Management consists of the Vice-Chancellor, three Deputy Vice-Chancellors, the Registrar, the Executive Director of Finance as well as the Executive Director in the Office of the Vice-Chancellor.

Vice-Chancellor Prof Chris Nhlapo was installed as the third Vice-Chancellor of CPUT in 2019. He previously served as the institution’s first Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Research, Technology, Innovation and Partnerships in which position he guided the university’s research mandate.

The other members of the Executive Management are:

• Prof Rishidaw Balkaran: Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Teaching and Learning;
• Dr David Phaho: Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Technology, Innovation and Partnerships;
• Prof Gilingwe Mayende: Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Operations;
• Peter du Plessis: Executive Director: Finance;
• Prof Driekie Hay-Swemmer: Executive Director: Office of the Vice-Chancellor and;
• Sello Simon Mokoena: Registrar

The Executive Management is supported by the Management Committee, which includes the Executive Management Committee members and Deans of Faculties.

Written by Ilse Fredericks
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Hundreds of needy students in CPUT residences will continue benefitting from food vouchers and parcels organised by the Division of Student Affairs.

The university’s Executive Management approved the project’s model, and the Division of Student Affairs (DSA) was tasked with its planning and implementation, said Acting Dean of Students Tulani Nkuntse.

Nkuntse added that funding is still a long-term endeavour with the Department of Advancement and that the model is also based on the success of the cafeteria project, which is a “work in progress”. “DSA does not receive a budget for this and is awaiting timeframes from Advancement on funding strategy,” he said.

“Currently, DSA uses its budget, which it reorganises to provide vouchers for R300 or R400 and food parcels amounting to R500. This is an interim measure which we are struggling to sustain.”

He called for any form of assistance for the project.

The initiative, which saw hundreds of needy students in residences benefitting from food parcels, was a collaborative project between residence managers and Residence Student Assistants a couple of years ago.

During the project's formative years, food parcels were distributed at downtown Lodge and J&B houses. Chumani Mashwanyela, residence manager at the two houses and project coordinator, said that about 400 students benefited from the project in the first semester of 2020.

 To give advice or donate to the project, contact Mashwanyela via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 0735158591.

Written by Kwanele Butana

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