CPUT strengthens community partnerships
STRENGTHENING COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS: Supported by DSTI/NRF SAASTA funding, CPUT, the University of South Africa, and the Weskusmandjie Cooperative recently celebrated the achievements of a four-year community-engaged research partnership at Granger Bay Campus.
Monday, 31 August 2026
CPUT, in collaboration with the University of South Africa (UNISA), recently hosted the Weskusmandjie Science Shop Stakeholder Engagement Event at Granger Bay Campus.
The event brought together representatives from the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI), the National Research Foundation’s South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement (NRF-SAASTA), academia, and the Weskusmandjie Cooperative to celebrate the achievements of a four-year community-engaged research partnership.
The event showcased the achievements of the Weskusmandjie Science Shop Project, funded through the NRF-SAASTA Science Shop Programme. Using a community-based participatory research approach, the project focused on strengthening the cooperative’s capacity through food product development, business skills training, consumer research and service-learning, while ensuring that community members remained active partners throughout the research process.
The programme featured presentations on the project’s quantitative and qualitative findings, the contribution of service-learning to student development and community impact, and reflections on the broader role of Science Shops in advancing citizen-engaged research in South Africa. Representatives from DSTI and NRF-SAASTA highlighted the importance of collaborative research that addresses real community needs and creates meaningful societal impact.
Head: Functional Foods Research Unit, Prof Maretha van Heerden said: “One of the highlights of the event was the presentation by the Weskusmandjie Cooperative, where members reflected on their journey, shared their experiences of working alongside researchers and students, and outlined their aspirations for the future.” The event also included the formal handover of the final research report to DSTI, “symbolising the successful completion of the project and its contribution to knowledge generation and community empowerment”.
Van Heerden added: “The stakeholder engagement event reaffirmed CPUT’s commitment to research that extends beyond academia by fostering sustainable partnerships, strengthening local livelihoods and demonstrating how universities can
work alongside communities to co-create practical, innovative solutions to shared challenges.”
Written by Aphiwe Boyce
Email: BoyceAp@cput.ac.za
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