CPUT, in collaboration with the Mauerberger Foundation Fund (MFF), proudly hosted the Vice-Chancellor’s Prestigious Achievers Award and Brian Figaji Scholarship event at the Bellville Campus, celebrating the remarkable achievements and inspiring journeys of outstanding individuals.
The Vice-Chancellor’s Prestigious Achievers Awards, launched in October 2018 by Prof Chris Nhlapo, aim to inspire excellence among students by providing them with vital financial support and mentoring to fuel their pursuit of further studies. Additionally, the Prof Brian Figaji Scholarship for Women in Engineering stands as a beacon of empowerment for exceptional female engineering students at CPUT, recognising their academic brilliance, leadership potential, and dedication to making a meaningful difference in society.
Speaking at the event, Nhlapo congratulated the “talented” awardees of the Vice-Chancellor’s Prestigious Achievers Awards. “To be a recipient of a Vice Chancellor’s Prestigious Achievers Awards, you have to be the best of the best…We are immensely proud of you. In my calendar, this is actually one of the best moments of the institution…
“I hope that today is the beginning of a long academic journey that you will traverse.”
Prof Joseph Kioko, Chairperson of the Vice-Chancellor’s Prestigious Achievers Awards Committee, paid tribute to the Vice-Chancellor’s inspiring vision in establishing this award, which creates a powerful platform for the emergence of new greatness. “This year, that platform attracted 18 ambitious applicants from South Africa, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, showing the vibrant and diverse intellectual community we are fostering.”
Advancement Department Director, Mandla Maseko, said the vice-chancellor observed that some of these top-performing graduates were entering industries that did not align with their passions, while others aspired to become academics but lacked support. This programme was therefore established to develop and retain such talent.
“It aims to recognise, reward, and support academically excellent Master’s and Doctoral students at CPUT who demonstrate strong potential to contribute positively to society and embody the University’s graduate attributes. Ultimately, the programme contributes to the development of the next generation of academics, academic supervisors, and research capacity, benefiting not only the University but also the country as a whole,” Maseko noted.
Figaji said he was “indebted” to the Mauerberger Foundation Fund (MFF) for offering to fund a scholarship in his name and for giving him the option to choose the institution where he would like to have this scholarship established. “I am also indebted to the leadership at CPUT for the enthusiastic acceptance of the scholarship proposal. Both gestures make me feel validated but also humbled…I have now succeeded in establishing a scholarship for female engineers that hopefully will encourage female students to not only study engineering but also advance the knowledge through research and innovation. Congratulations to Lanay [De Reuck] and Refiloe [Selai] for being the torch bearers that will lead the way and set the standards for others to follow.”
Both students made presentations on their research journeys. Lanay’s research title is: Synthesis of an Eco-friendly Ag/CQD/g-C₃N₄ Composite for Photocatalytic Degradation of Methyl Orange. Refiloe’s research title is: Mathematical modelling of wind-induced vibrations in transmission line conductors.
Maseko said through this scholarship, the MFF and Figaji seek to break barriers to education for women in engineering, ensuring that deserving students have the financial resources and opportunities to succeed in their Master’s and Doctoral studies, and to become the next generation of engineers, researchers, leaders, innovators, and change-makers.
“The throughput rate of the Vice-Chancellor’s Prestigious Achievers Awards is very good and, in recent years, there has been at least one graduate from the programme in every graduation ceremony, demonstrating its growth and maturity. The Figaji Scholarship, on the other hand, was only launched recently, and the first two recipients are still completing their studies, so there are no outcome reports available yet. Both programmes are funded by the MFF, and therefore, it was both efficient and practical to host a single joint event…”
The programme also featured presentations on research areas and topics by the 2025 awardees. Nhlapo and Advocate Dianna Yach, the MFF Chairperson, distributed certificates prior to each student presentation.
The students and their research titles were as follows:
- Babalwa Gqomfa (Doctor of Environmental Management): "Prevalence of Micro- and Nano-Plastics in Selected Areas of Cape Town: An Environmental Risk Assessment and Metagenomic Analysis of Microbial Communities."
- Nomnqophiso Zantanta (Doctor of Horticulture): "The Feasibility of Soilless Cultivation of Selected Indigenous Legumes as Fodder Crops for Small-Scale Livestock Farming in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa." Nomnqophiso said: “Today I am receiving the award again this year. I stand here with a clear vision and a stronger purpose- one that seeks to contribute to sustainable agriculture and food security in our country.”
- Kudzai Mugejo (Doctor of Engineering in Civil Engineering): "Infrastructure Performance and Water Governance for Climate Change Adaptation in Smallholder Farming Systems in the Western Cape, South Africa."
- Additionally, there was a message from Dr Murendeni Nethengwe, a former recipient who has graduated and holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Biomedical Sciences.
Yach said the MFF’s continuing support for the CPUT Vice-Chancellor’s Prestigious Achievers Awards stems from their deep and enduring commitment to growing future leaders who are devoted to advancing social justice and social cohesion, ethics, good governance, and human rights – aligned with our core mission. Prof Driekie Hay-Swemmer, the Executive Director of the Office of the Vice Chancellor and Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Operations, powerfully delivered a heartfelt vote of thanks.
Written by Aphiwe Boyce
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