On behalf of the Board, I would like to welcome you to the official function of the newly appointed Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Pamela Dube. It was a good day for CUT to introduce a VC to her management team. I would like to thank you for coming to this welcome event. The invitation to this function has been extended to you as our media partner because we want you to meet him. I want to thank everyone who sacrificed their busy schedules to be with us today.
For more than half a year, it has been a difficult journey for the university without a VC, and I would like to commend Professor Alfred Ngowi for serving CUT as Vice Chancellor during this period. We have witnessed remarkable steps towards the operational efficiency of this university despite the challenges we have faced. We have seen progress in filling key positions, particularly in the Registrar’s Division, with a focus on equity and workforce representation.
When the university starts recruitment for the position of VC, we are committed to the Council to prioritize the appointment of women. Our institutional values of equity and excellence inspire us to make this call. Without a doubt, we find him to be the most suitable leader to advance the university. With his appointment, we, as a collective, believe that CUT is in good hands. The university is in a better position than it is now. This is all due to rigorous recruitment efforts. Rest assured; The new VC has the support of our Council, all statutory bodies at the university, and the university community. He will continue where we have done so well in driving academic projects and Vision 2030 to be a leading technological university in Africa through innovation.
For today’s session, it is important to share with you the confidence Professor Dube brings to this portfolio. He will lead the university towards and beyond CUT Vision 2030, using his extensive knowledge and experience in the higher education sector. A strong foundation has been laid for our Vice Chancellors to build partnerships and lead strategic engagements at various levels. He has also achieved outstanding academic achievements and has substantial experience at the university executive level. He has initiated an effective relationship building approach with academic, government and business partners, as well as general communication skills. He also brings a wealth of experience and passion for working with students, which remains CUT’s number one priority.
Prior to joining CUT, Professor Dube served as Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Student Development and Support at the University of the Western Cape. He is an academic leader, having completed his MA and PhD studies in comparative Literature and Media at the University of Siegen in Germany, supported by the German Exchange Program, DAAD. He is also a graduate of the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
Her career spans higher education and research management, comparative media/communication and literature, human resource development, institutional advancement, student affairs and international relations. He has worked as a senior employee of the Department of National Education, as an academic at the University of Siegen in Germany, Kathmandu University in Nepal, the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg and worked at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, as dean of students.
He served as Special Adviser to the Vice-Chancellor at the University of Johannesburg, where he also headed the Human Resources Division. He is also a past employee of the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa), where he established the International Relations office and managed the People’s Learning and Development Unit. Therefore, Professor Dube will be instrumental in driving sustainable partnerships at CUT and supporting internationalization initiatives between CUT and international partners.
Finally, Professor Dube will continue to build strength and excellence in the university’s core business – teaching and learning, research, innovation and community engagement, further strengthening the university’s current partnership development initiatives with renowned universities around the world, and creating new alliances. which will be more important to the communities we serve.
– Board Member Matthew Rantso, Chairman of the Board