Key role-players in government, industry and education are among the guest speakers lined up to address CPUT’s 2010 graduates at the university’s April Graduation Ceremonies, running from 12 to 17 April on the Bellville and Cape Town campuses.

Dr Trevor Manuel, CPUT Chancellor and Minister in the Presidency in charge of the National Planning Commission, will be providing the guest address for graduates of the Faculty of Engineering in a ceremony on 16 April 2010 on Cape Town campus.

Dr Manuel was elected as CPUT’s first Chancellor in May 2008. He is an alumnus of the Peninsula Technikon and served as the South African Minister of Finance for 11 years, before accepting his current ministerial role.

Dr Manuel was in attendance at this year’s opening graduation ceremony on 12 April, where he called on graduates to make a commitment to life-long learning and return to CPUT to further their studies.

Director and co-founder of South African Women in Engineering, Naadiya Moosajee will address Engineering graduates attending the Bellville ceremony on 14 April. Moosajee currently serves on the FIFA 2010 Local Organising Committee and was voted the 2009 Most Influential Woman of the Year by CEO magazine.

Member of Parliament and nuclear reactor design and analysis expert Dr Nqaba Ngcobo will be guest speaker at the Applied Sciences morning graduation ceremony on 15 April. Dr Ngcobo chairs the Portfolio Committee on Science and Technology, a committee tasked with holding several government entities accountable for service delivery.

Sagie Pillay, CEO of the National Health Laboratory Services and former CEO at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital, will address Health and Wellness Sciences graduates on the evening of 15 April.

Prof John Volmink, Chairperson of the International Partnerships Network and Member of the Board of the Universal Education Foundation, will be guest speaker at the morning ceremony on Saturday 17 April, where he will address graduates in the Education and Social Sciences Faculty.

Informatics and Design graduates will be addressed by internationally recognised furniture designer Liam Mooney at the 17 April afternoon ceremony. Dr Carla Enslin, Head of the Vega Communications School in Cape Town, will also address graduates in Informatics and Design, as well as graduates from other faculties, in the evening ceremony on 16 April.

Earlier this week, I & J Marketing and Sales Director David Pietersen and Group Executive and CEO of Metropolitan International Mervyn Cookson gave guidance to Business graduates at the Cape Town and Bellville first graduation ceremonies.

“Persevere and never give up, no matter what obstacles you face,” said Cookson, who also emphasised the values of humility, integrity and continuous learning as key to leadership.

Prof Michael Wormald and Prof Glen Holman of the Faculty of Commerce at the University of Cape Town and Gayle Kaylor, Chief Director at the Public Administration Leadership and Management Academy also addressed the Business graduates.

CPUT expects to confer 6 300 qualifications during twelve graduation ceremonies this week, including 62 master's degrees and seven doctoral degrees.

By Ilana Abratt

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Lance Witten a CPUT alumnus who is making his mark in the media industry returned to CPUT to encourage graduates to “build their brands”.

Witten, a sports anchor for eNews, told graduates that companies spend years building reputations and brands, which are their most valuable assets.

Referring to pop stars and celebrities, Witten says people too can be brands.

“As a graduate, each of you are your own brand.”

Witten encouraged graduates to go out into the working world and set out what they would like to stand for. He urged the class of 2011 to embrace qualities such as loyalty, integrity and to work hard in whatever industry they may find themselves in.

Whether graduates were making films, taking photographs or putting together garments, Witten says the quality of the product, will reflect your brand.

“At the end of the day it is your name that is attached to your brand.”

Witten says it will not always be easy build and grow your brand, but that graduates will reap the rewards.

“Go out there and establish your brand.”

CPUT Vice Chancellor Prof Vuyisa Mazwi-Tanga also encouraged graduates to play a meaningful role in the South African economy.

The fourth Business Faculty graduation ceremony continues in Cape Town today.

Tonight, the Faculty of Health and Wellness will confer diplomas and degrees on graduates at the Bellville Campus.

By Candes Keating

Picture by CLIVE GALANT

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Hundreds of graduates in the Faculty of Informatics and Design received their diplomas and degrees this morning on the Cape Town campus.

In a spirited ceremony, the graduates were told that true satisfaction in the workplace comes from doing great work. And the key to great work is to do what you love.

Guest speaker Rachel Atkinson, Business Unit Manager and Solution Architect at TWC spoke eloquently of the need to find one’s passion in the workplace.

“You will not get the first job you applied for, you won’t start with a huge salary – but don’t give up! As Steve Jobs says – it’s all about connecting the dots. You can’t see the dots looking forward at university, but you can clearly see them looking back, years later. Believing that the dots will connect, will give you the confidence to follow your heart, even if it leads you off the well-worn path - and that will make the difference.”

The loudest of today’s cheers were reserved for Eugene Visser, who was awarded his DTech in Information Technology. Supervised by Prof Melius Weideman, Visser wrote his thesis on Fusing Website Usability Variables and On-Page Search Engine Optimisation Elements.

The Dean’s Medal was also awarded to a graduate of the Information Technology Department. Christoffel Basson achieved distinction in all 12 subjects of his National Diploma, with a final aggregate of 87% over three years of study.

Graduation continues this evening at 7 pm on the Bellville Campus, where the first ceremony of the Faculty of Engineering takes place. On Thursday morning, the Faculty of Applied Sciences ceremony begins at 10am on the Cape Town campus.

By JAN WEINTROB

Photograph by Clive Galant

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CPUT Chancellor Dr Trevor Manuel and keynote speaker Dr Pierre Le Monde asked graduates to use their newly acquired skills to make a difference in their communities and country.

Dr Manuel says graduating comes with great responsibility and reminded the graduates that society has great expectations from them.

Dr Manuel was addressing the first Engineering Graduation ceremony which took place at the Major Sports hall in Bellville. Last night’s graduation was the eighth, in a string of 12 Autumn Graduation ceremonies that started on Monday.

Keynote speaker Dr Pierre Le Monde, Attache for Science and Technology at the Embassy of France in SA, told the gathering he was impressed at how seriously we take graduation ceremonies in South Africa. “I come from a country where graduation is not so formal.

Le Monde says the world is changing very fast and is facing issues that need solutions and added that graduates were central to solving problems.

“You must keep your eyes open, don’t limit your imagination. What you have learnt here is not enough. You have learnt to learn,” he concluded.

The Major Sports Hall erupted in applause when the Dean of the Engineering Faculty, Dr Nawaz Mahomed, announced that Myalelo Nomnqa has been awarded his MTech in Chemical Engineering Cum Laude. Five MTechs in Chemical Engineering were conferred during last night’s ceremony.

The week-long graduations will see more than 6500 qualifications conferred. The final graduation ceremony will take place on Saturday morning with the Faculty of Education and Social Sciences.

By Thami Nkwanyane

Photos by Clive Galant

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Graduates of the Faculty of Applied Sciences rose the roof this morning as they cheered on a classmate who had achieved one of the highest honours the University can bestow on its students.

Dean Berry, who graduated cum laude with a BTech degree in Horticulture, is also the recipient of the Vice Chancellor’s Medal. This medal is awarded to the top Btech student across all 6 Faculties. Berry achieved six out of six distinctions in his final year of study with an aggregate of 85%.

Four MTech degrees were also awarded to Nina Septoe, Andre Lambrechts, Jade North and Natalie Newman. These candidates’ graduated with their Masters Degrees from the Departments of Consumer Science: Food and Nutrition, Environmental Health, Horticulture and Nature Conservation, respectively, while Adegbenro Peter Daso and Janes Doughari Hamuel were awarded Doctoral degrees in the Environmental Health Department.

Guest speaker Dr Gansen Pillay, the Deputy CEO of the National Research Foundation of South Africa spoke passionately of the quality of research being done in South Africa.

He says that in moving from a resource-based to a knowledge-based economy, South Africa offered a wealth of opportunity for bright young graduates to exploit.

“We have to focus and prioritise education in South Africa. I advocate the concept of liberation through education – it’s the one thing that can never be taken from you. And at the centre of everything, excellence and integrity needs to be non-negotiable. “

Graduation continues this evening on the Bellville campus where the Faculty of Engineering holds its second ceremony. On Saturday, the Faculty of Education and Social Sciences holds the final two ceremonies on Cape Town campus that bring a week of Autumn graduation to a close.

By Jan Weintrob

Photograph by Clive Galant

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CPUT will be celebrating the dedication and hard work of 1 209 graduates during our first-ever digital graduation on June 25.

The Autumn Graduation series traditionally takes place in April but the restriction on mass gatherings and the lockdown meant that the ceremony could not take place.

Digital graduation ceremonies differ from virtual graduations by lending a more personal touch. Individual students will be recognised by having their qualifications conferred upon them instead of a blanket conferral of all qualifications.

Vice-Chancellor Prof Chris Nhlapo said great effort was made to make the graduation more than just a blanket conferral.
“We wanted to ensure that all graduates were recognised properly,” he said.
“Graduations are one of the highlights of the academic calendar and we wanted to celebrate it appropriately.”    

The ceremonies will be customised with a picture of the graduate and a personalised message. The slide will the downloadable and sharable.

The ceremonies can be viewed on the CPUT YouTube channel, under the Digital Graduation 2020 playlist from 10 am. It can also be viewed on the Digital Graduation web page: https://bit.ly/3euT7BV

The graduates include 113 Masters graduates and 21 who have earned their doctorates.

Graduates can use the hashtag #CPUTDigitalGrad on social media posts.

Written by Ilse Fredericks
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CPUT will be celebrating the success of hundreds of graduates during two digital graduation ceremonies later this month.

Graduation is one of the most important events on the university’s calendar but, like tertiary institutions around the world, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced the institution to find an alternative to a traditional ceremony.

The two ceremonies will be held on 25 June 2020, with the first scheduled for 10:00 and the second for 14:00.

Digital graduation ceremonies differ from virtual graduations by lending a more personal touch.

Individual students will be recognised by having their qualifications conferred upon them instead of blanket conferral of all qualifications.

“Actual ceremonies will be taking place but with no graduates or audience present. This is due to COVID-19 social distancing guidelines and a prohibition on events of more than 50 people.

“Students will be invited to upload a photo and personal message onto our portal. These messages and photos will be displayed on screen along with the name, qualification, and, where applicable, cum laude status when the Dean reads out the graduates’ name,” said Dr Garth van Gensen, Director of the Marketing and Communication Department.

Graduates and their families will be able to watch the ceremonies on several platforms. Details will be announced closer to the time.

A special Digital Graduation website will also be created that will enable the graduates to download the ceremony video, a personalised slide with photo, message and qualification and official graduation programme. More details will soon be announced.

Students can register their details at https://tinyurl.com/r5uk4ck before June 15 or check your @mycput mailbox for an email from Marching Order. The support email address is This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Written by Ilse Fredericks
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A total of 653 graduates walked across the stage during CPUT’s annual Spring Graduation held today.

The number included 39 Masters and five Doctoral students and the ceremonies were officiated by Chancellor Trevor Manuel.

Ceremony one guest speaker Fred Robertson encouraged the graduates to appreciate the sacrifices made by struggle veterans like Manuel as well as Nelson Mandela, Albert Luthuli and Govan Mbeki.

“You stand on the shoulders of greatness and you have a great responsibility,” he told them.

Robertson sketched his own career path starting from humble beginnings in District Six where his entrepreneurial spirit was nurtured to the slums of the Cape Flats.

His incredible career journey culminated in him heading Brimstone Investment Corporation, a multi-billion rand investment corporation, among other incredible successes, and being named a leading figure in the national business community.

Robertson reminded graduates that his success, and theirs, was dependent on the support they received from family, friends and their alma mater, adding that before them 75 000 students had graduated from CPUT in its 10 year history.

“Give back to your alma mater. We need to cultivate a culture of giving back,” he says.

Robertson also encouraged graduates to commit to life-long learning.

“Expand your knowledge continuously and teach others as well, because in teaching others you also learn. Believe in yourself and be brave, passionate and remember life is a team effort.”

Written by Lauren Kansley
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Liaises with the media and writes press releases about interesting developments at CPUT.

Graduates were reminded that success in life requires hard work which no one else but them will have to do.

“Worry about the mark you will leave in the world,” said Councillor Xanthea Limberg, Mayoral Committee Member for Corporate Services in the City of Cape Town as well as CPUT councilor.

Limberg was addressing this afternoon’s graduation ceremony of the Faculty of Business and Management Sciences as the guest speaker.

“Use your newly-found freedom to determine what your contribution to the world will be,” she said.

She warned the graduates that the road ahead may be rough and hard and that they should not despair even when doors are slammed in their faces or when their dream jobs seem to elude them.

“Fortune favours the bold. With courage you can’t be defeated.”

She added that nothing is someone else’s problem and that each individual needs to address the challenges they are faced with.

“It’s better to inspire others than directing them. For me there’s only one type of leadership and that is servant leadership.”

She urged the graduates to toss down a ladder for those less fortunate than them to step on it and achieve their dreams.

She encouraged them to be interested in the developments around them so that they can find themselves a role to play to influence their direction.

Written by Kwanele Butana
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The importance of family and a support network was emphasized during the ninth graduation ceremony which took place in Cape Town this morning.

Graduates from the Informatics and Design Faculty were addressed by guest speaker Gina Levy during the ceremony.

Levy herself straddles many design disciples in her professional and personal life, working as an architect, film and screenwriter, photographer and dancer.

She urged graduates to continue to do their best in their professional careers and 'Pay it Forward' to future generations.

"You are the people who have the chance to change the trajectory of not only your life, but also that of your siblings and your children," she says.

Levy's message was especially pertinant to one gradute in the audience.

Charity Chiuwye graduated her BTech in IT alongside her husband Takaua Chandiwana who graduted her Masters in the same course.

The Zimbabwean couple battled visa issues and raising two young children to get to that proud moment.

"It was very difficult because my youngest is only five months and I was pregnant while I was studying," she says.

"But you have to study to make your life better."

Written by Lauren Kansley
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Liaises with the media and writes press releases about interesting developments at CPUT.

Thousands of new graduates armed with the necessary skills to grow and sustain South Africa’s economy are soon set to enter the world of work.

During the week of 7 to 12 April, CPUT will host its annual Autumn Graduation during which almost 7 000 students will receive their qualifications, of which 73 are Masters and 16 doctoral graduates.

Autumn Graduation is one of the biggest events hosted by the university and this year thousands of parents, guardians, spouses and other well wishes are expected to support graduates during one of the 12 ceremonies that will be held on the university’s Bellville and Cape Town campuses.

Graduates can also expect to get some valuable words of advice from a host of South Africa’s most notable role-players in politics, industry and academia. From the founders of some of the country’s top-performing companies such as Gina Levy of Supernews to Commander Tsieti Mokhele, CEO of the South African Maritime Safety Authority.

This year graduation week will kick off on Monday morning at the Cape Town Campus, where qualifications will be conferred on students who completed programmes in the Faculty of Business. On Monday evening, students who completed programmes in the Faculties of Applied Sciences, Business and Engineering, will be awarded their qualifications.

This will be followed by 10 more ceremonies, which will take place in the Multipurpose Hall on the Cape Town Campus and in the Major Sports Hall on the Bellville Campus.

Autumn Graduation will culminate on Saturday afternoon at 2pm on the Cape Town Campus, where qualifications will be conferred on students who completed programmes in the Faculty of Education and Social Sciences.

*All graduation ceremonies will be streamed live

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.

Four MEng Electrical Engineering graduates working in the Centre for Substation Automation and Energy Management Systems (CSAEMS) will graduate summa cum laude tonight.

This means both their examiners awarded them more than 75% in their final assessment.

The four are part of a cohort of 29 Electrical Engineering postgraduate students studying under the supervision of the CSAEMS Centre, a state of the art substation automation laboratory under the directorship of Prof Raynitchka Tzoneva. Created in 2011 the Centre came about because the International Electrical Commission (IEC) put in place the IEC 61850 standards which governs the building, implementation and operations of Substation Automation Systems.

Supervised by Dr Senthil Krishnamurthy, Bwandakassy Cedrick Elenga Baningobera’s thesis “Implementation of an IEC 61850 standard-based harmonic blocking scheme for a power transformer” won him second best presentation at CPUT’s 2018 Postgraduate Conference. The 30-year-old from Brazzaville, Congo wants to continue with his DEng studies to develop a novel protection scheme in the Power Hardware-in-the-Loop simulation environment.

Dr Krishnamurthy also supervised Franck Noudjiep Djiepkop’s thesis: “A feeder reconfiguration scheme with integration of renewable energy sources using a particle swarm optimisation method”. This research focused on the development of solutions for feeder reconfiguration problem to increase the flexibility, reliability and efficiency of electrical distribution systems. Optimising the feeder reconfiguration and distributed energy resources in a distribution network could provide addition power to a grid and improve the operation of the distribution system. Djiepkop is looking for opportunities to pursue further research on a doctoral level.

Supervised by Prof Raynitchka Tzoneva, Ncedo Mguzulwa worked part-time over four years to complete an “Investigation of interoperability of IEC 61850 protection functions”. Mguzulwa, 33, currently works for the City of Cape Town in the Electricity Generation and Distribution Department. He investigated the IEC61850 protocol that allows for communication between protection relays. “Procurement is a big part of engineering, and utilities and municipalities have to be careful and not be locked into one vendor or service provider in order to ensure bids are fair and competitive. Therefore this research evaluated how different vendors and manufacturers of protection relays can be interoperable as the communication protocol has already been standardised,” explained Mguzulwa.

Mukovhe Ratshitanga was also supervised by Tzoneva for his thesis: “Investigation and design of an integrated monitoring, protection and control system of a power reticulation network” which he developed part-time over three years under the CPUT Khula project. Ratshitanga, 35 is currently lecturing at CPUT, assisting with research and development within the CSAEMS and intending to study further. His research showed a reduction in cost on installation, operation and maintenance in substations, if his suggested integration of systems will be implemented on the CPUT reticulation network.

“All four postgraduates implemented the developed in their theses solutions in real-time test beds achieving excellent operation and performance. The high quality and novelty in their theses will be presented by publications in leading recognised journals in the field,” said Tzoneva.

Written by Theresa Smith
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The CPUT community has much to look forward to this week, including the Autumn Graduation and the installation of Prof Chris Nhlapo as the institution’s third Vice-Chancellor.

One of the highlights of the first graduation ceremony on Thursday morning will be the awarding of honorary doctorates to the two surviving Rivonia trialists, Denis Goldberg and Andrew Mlangeni,

Goldberg, who will be celebrating his 86th birthday on the day, spent 22 years in prison, while Mlangeni, whose Robben Island cell was next to that of Nelson Mandela, spent 26 years in jail.

More than 1 500 graduands will receive their degrees on Thursday and Friday including ten who will receive their doctorates and 63 their Masters.

Prof Nhlapo, who previously served as the institution’s first Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Technology Innovation and Partnerships, will be installed on Wednesday.

During his tenure as Deputy-Vice-Chancellor he authored the Research, Technology and Innovation Blueprint for the institution that underpins the university’s Vision 2020.
Nhlapo has occupied a number of senior positions at Higher Education Institutions and Science Councils. He was the Head of Chemistry at the universities of the North and the Free State before joining the National Research Foundation (NRF).

“I am thrilled and humbled to be appointed as the third Vice-Chancellor of CPUT. The task I face is complex. During my acting period I started with the conceptual underpinning of Vision 2030 for the institution. I am looking forward to completing this plan and rolling it out to enable the institution to respond to the challenges such as the 4th Industrial revolution, known as Industry 4.0, sustainable development and South Africa’s National Development Plan,” he said following his appointment last year.

Written by Ilse Fredericks
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