CPUT proudly celebrates Women’s Month and honours the remarkable achievements of its women as it marks 20 years since its establishment.

The recent Women’s Month Celebration at Granger Bay Campus featured a powerful launch for the CPUT Women Leader’s book, titled: Women leaders journey of growth to greatness: Advancing gender transformation in CPUT’s twenty years of existence, inspiring future generations to embrace their leadership potential.

The CDISC joined forces with internal and external partners such as Sanlam to honour Women’s Month in 2025. Together with other partners, McDonald’s, Orion, Momentum, Fundani CHED, Human Capital, and the Advancement department, the Facilities Management crew, and Granger Bay Campus, which offered a beautiful venue to create an empowering celebration for everyone.

This year's theme, “Advancing Transformation: Celebrating Greatness in CPUT Women,” highlights a shared commitment to growth and empowerment for everyone. The inaugural CPUT Vice-Chancellor, Prof Vuyisa Mazwi-Tanga, delivered a keynote address titled “Transforming Higher Education through Holistic Women Empowerment and Inclusive Leadership.”

Mazwi-Tanga said women can only succeed through the efforts of others, and that is what she considers to be inclusive leadership. “If we hold on to those principles, then we are able to empower each other on women empowerment… “I want to thank you so much, I want to salute all the women during this month of August, because we recognise the role of women that they play in building and shaping futures under very difficult conditions, in public spaces, getting to work spaces, in family spaces yet women persist, Viva to the spirit of resilience.” She added that the South African statistics continue to paint a disappointing picture regarding “the status of women in our country”.

In her welcoming address, Prof. Driekie Hay-Swemmer, Executive Director: Office of the Vice-Chancellor, inspired the women in the audience by highlighting their inherent strength. She encouraged them to reflect on their vital roles in driving transformation and the impactful legacy they wish to create.

Lebohang Monyatsi, Head: Financial Inclusion and Stakeholder Relations at Sanlam, passionately highlighted the transformative power of financial inclusion for women's empowerment. Prof Mercy Makhitha, Dean: Faculty of Business and Management Sciences, inspired the guests with her insights on positioning “your personal brand” for leadership and career advancement. Vuyokazi Dwane, Senior Director: Human Capital Department, shared a compelling vision of women’s empowerment at CPUT through the lens of human capital. She further highlighted the milestones the institution has achieved in empowering women and ensuring that women receive support and empowerment.

Brightness Mangolothi, Director: CDISC, celebrated the remarkable achievements of CPUT women while shedding light on the barriers to advancement through an intersectional holistic wellness perspective. A particularly uplifting moment during the celebration was the launch of the inspiring book "Women Leaders: Journey of Growth to Greatness," edited by Mangolothi. This book beautifully chronicles the resilience and achievements of women leaders at CPUT, highlighting the strength in shared experiences.

Zikhona Plaatjie. Stream Coordinator: Monitoring and Evaluation: CDISC described Mazwi-Tanga’s address as the inspiring reflections on transformation in higher education through women’s empowerment and inclusive leadership. “Your reflections on your personal leadership journey remind us that transformation is both an institutional and a personal responsibility, but most importantly, it is about creating an enabling environment. One of the messages that stood out to me is for us to fix each other's crowns as women. You left us with true nuggets of wisdom.”

The panel discussion titled “20 Years Reflection: Women’s Leadership, Empowerment, and Contributions at CPUT” delved into the institution’s journey toward transforming women and achieving gender equality. It reflected on CPUT’s progress, current initiatives, and the path forward, featuring insights from esteemed panellists: Assistant Dean: Faculty of Education, Prof Anna Dippenaar, Assistant Dean of Research, Technology, Innovation and Partnerships, Prof Veruscha Fester, and Disability Inclusion Advocate, Delicia de Vos.

Written by Aphiwe Boyce
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Down the memory lane and footprints of women leadership – Inyathi ibuzwa kwabaphambili was the theme of the recent Student Affairs Her-Story Women’s Month Intergenerational Dialogue.

CPUT’s first Vice-Chancellor, Prof Vuyisa Mazwi-Tanga, was the keynote speaker at the event, which was held at the South African Renewable Energy Technology Centre and attended by young women leaders, including Student Representative Council (SRC) members.

In her opening remarks Dean of Student Affairs, Nonkosi Tyolwana, emphasised the importance of intergenerational dialogue and institutional memory and spoke on the important role elders play in African homes.

A message of support was delivered by Aneliso Khetsekile (former SRC) and Thato Masonganye (Central SRC).

Tanga took the audience on a trip down memory lane of her time at CPUT and Peninsula Technikon.

She was installed as Vice-Chancellor in 2006 and had previously held other positions at CPUT and Peninsula Technikon.

She shared the following message with young women leaders: “You don’t have to be a specific gender to assume the role of leadership. You don’t need to have come from a particular environment in order to become a leader. Leadership does not reside in terms of family status. Leadership is in every one of us, in every individual.

“If it were not like that, I would never have been appointed at CPUT. If it were according to who you are, where you’re from and whether your family had status… I had none of those.”

She continued: “Each and every one of you have the capacity to be a leader, whether it’s in your small space or wanting to grow into a much bigger space.”

In her response, Prof Tembisa Ngqondi, Dean of the Faculty of Informatics and Design, encouraged the young women leaders to: “Carry on the baton – do not drop it”.

During the lively intergenerational dialogue that followed the topics ranged from advice for aspiring future vice-chancellors to balancing academic freedom with institutional goals and role models.

Written by Ilse Fredericks
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In celebration of Women’s Month, CPUT, in partnership with the City of Cape Town’s Library and Information Services, is proud to announce a Robotics Showcase and Competition taking place at the Langa Community Library on Saturday.

This exciting initiative forms part of the City of Cape Town’s Science Week and reflects a shared commitment to empowering young people, especially girls, through Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) education.

The showcase will feature 20 matriculants from Langa High School, who have spent the past month developing practical robotics skills under the guidance of Dr Waldon Hendricks, Information Technology Lecturer at CPUT. These learners participated in hands-on training using LEGO education kits and coding tools as part of CPUT’s broader digital literacy community engagement programme.

During the competition, students will be grouped into four teams and presented with a robotics challenge. They will need to build and programme a robot to complete a specific task—demonstrating innovation, teamwork and problem-solving skills.

It’s a winner-takes-all event: the top-performing team will receive prizes including vouchers, and female learners in the winning group will receive additional recognition gifts in honour of Women’s Month.

“This partnership between the University and the Municipality shows what is possible when education meets community service,” said Hendricks. “We want these learners to see themselves as the next generation of engineers, coders, and innovators.”

The media is invited to attend this vibrant showcase of youth potential, innovation, and empowerment and the event is open to all young people in and around Langa who are interested in robotics and technology.

Event Details

Venue: Langa Community Library
Date: Saturday, 2 August 2025
Time: 10:00 – 12:00

For enquiries contact Dr Waldon Hendricks - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Written by CPUT News
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On 14 August, CPUT, as part of its celebration of Women's Month, gave a group of 100 Grade 10 and 11 female learners the opportunity to attend presentations by five inspirational women who had used Mathematics as a path to success in a variety of fields.

The learners were picked by their schools for their passion and achievement in Mathematics. The programme was planned by Dr Shaheed Hartley and Melissa Quinn of the Centre for Mathematics, Science and Technology Education (CEMSTE), and was held in partnership with the Capetonian Hotel. The CPUT Director of Advancement, Gillian Mitchell was Master of Ceremonies.

One of the most memorable speakers was Dr Phethiwe Matutu of the Department of Science and Technology. Dr Matatu was the first black woman in South Africa to be awarded a PhD in Pure Mathematics.

Dr Matatu spoke about how studying Mathematics has given her the ability to work independently and pay attention to detail. She illustrated this with examples from her own life, describing how, as a child growing up in a rural village in the former Transkei, she did calculations in the family shop where there was no till. An affinity for Mathematics as a child ultimately lead her to pursue the subject at a tertiary level.

“As a woman you can become anything you want to be,” she said, “so make your choices responsibly so as not to lose the gains that women have made so far.""

The day’s presentations illustrated how Mathematics serves as a platform to a multitude of opportunities, in areas as diverse as science, medicine, engineering, business and the arts.

CPUT doctoral student in Microbiology, Ms Vanessa Jackson explained how she performs mathematical calculations on a daily basis to plot the growth curves of bacteria. Dr Thandi Matsha, of the Faculty of Health and Wellness Sciences discussed her research into obesity-related diseases and how she uses Mathematics to interpret statistics. Dr Ayesha Jacobs from the Department of Chemistry, discussed how she uses Maths as part of her research into supramolecular chemistry.

Fatima Hamdulay, a lecturer at the Graduate School of Business explained how a knowledge of Mathematics helped her develop a style of thinking that can be taken from one career to another. Her undergraduate studies focussed on Chemical Engineering, but thinking in a mathematical way had helped her develop her career further in the Business field.

The learners who attended the event were active participants in the day’s programme. They performed songs and poems between the presentations and responded to each speaker with relevant questions.

The event was the second Women in Mathematics Programme held by CPUT. Dr Hartley plans to continue running the programme annually so as to expose new generations of young women to role models who have used Maths as a basis for successful careers.

By Ilana Abratt, Marketing and Communication Department

Written by CPUT News
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In South Africa we observe Women's Month during August – a time dedicated to celebrating the historical contributions of individuals who identify as women in various aspects of life and to empowering women while dismantling barriers to their advancement.

The slogan for Women’s Month, "Empowered women empower the world. Equality knows no gender. Strong women, strong world", inspired the staff at the Mowbray campus library to acknowledge two exceptional women who have taken full advantage of the opportunities provided by CPUT, particularly through the CPUT Adult Education and Training (AET) Project, to advance their personal development despite challenges.

Veronica van Vogel (62) and Maroweyyah Williams (35), both employed in facilities management at the Mowbray campus, are dedicated to personal growth. Veronica, a widowed mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and supervisor, is currently working towards her Level 3 qualification. Meanwhile, Maroweyyah, who has already completed Levels 3 and 4, along with a computer course from CPUT, is gearing up to begin her Level 5 programme.

Esther Carney, a library assistant at the Mowbray campus library, spoke to the two women to learn more about their experiences in the programme. Both Veronica and Maroweyyah eagerly embraced the opportunity to empower themselves through CPUT's offerings.

Here are some insights into their journeys:

What are some of the biggest challenges you are currently facing while pursuing this journey?

Veronica: “I’ve learned that discipline, hard work, and proper prioritisation are essential.”

Maroweyyah: “It’s been challenging balancing full-time work with returning to school after many years and preparing for exams.”

How has the library supported you throughout this journey, such as through access to books or other resources?

Veronica: “For me, it was a great help. I will always visit the library for support and the library staff are always available for assistance. They will assist me in finding the book and, if the required book cannot be found in this library, they will request it for me from another branch”.

Maroweyyah: “The staff helped me a lot throughout my studies, with books and projects”

What are your plans or hopes for the future once you have completed your level?

Veronica: “Completing my Level 4 has motivated me to continue on to Level 5.”

Maroweyyah: “After finishing Level 5, I hope to further my education and pursue an undergraduate degree.”

What advice would you offer to colleagues who haven’t obtained their matric certificate?

Veronica: “It’s a privilege for me to help my grandchildren with their homework and seeing them work on similar tasks as mine makes me proud. For my colleagues and I, I’d advise taking advantage of the opportunities provided by CPUT. It's never too late to pursue further education and improve your prospects. They’re still young and have the chance to reach for better work and a brighter future.”

Maroweyyah: “When we first started here, we weren’t aware of these opportunities. I’m thankful that we were given the chance to join this programme and enhance our skills. It’s beneficial both for your career and personal growth.”

Maroweyyah expressed her admiration for Veronica, not only as a supervisor but also for her enthusiasm in seizing the opportunity and eagerness to learn. She recognises that if Veronica can succeed, she can too.

Mowbray campus library staff wished both women the best of luck on their journey and are proud of their dedication and accomplishments.

Written by CPUT News

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