Dear CUT Community

According to Vision 2030, CUT aims to be a leading African university of technology, shaping the future through innovation. Such an inspirational statement demands institutional and operational efficiency and effectiveness. Following a request from Council during 2020 to align the organisational structure with Vision 2030, Council approved the revised organisational restructuring at executive level at its meeting of 18 September 2020, for implementation with effect from 1 January 2021. Some of the changes in the Office of the Vice-Chancellor and Principal (VC) included a direct reporting line by the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) to the VC.

As the VC already had eight direct reports and six reports of a strategic nature in 2020, bringing the total direct and strategic reports of the VC to 14, whilst on average, the VCs of public universities in South Africa have at most 11 reports, and most are supported by an Executive Director in the VC’s Office, Council approved the upgrading of the Senior Manager: Institutional Renewal and Transformation position, at Peromnes level 6 (P6), to the position of Director in the Office of the Vice-Chancellor and Principal. This was done to minimise financial implications.

The main purpose of this position is to provide special advisory functions on transformation, and strategic relations and engagements to the VC; and to lead the units of Institutional Renewal and Transformation, Development and Fundraising, and the Alumni Association. The aim is to enhance the institutionalisation of transformation, and the broader focus of institutional renewal, development, fundraising, alumni initiatives, and external relations, in support to the VC, by shaping the transformation agenda and institutional renewal of the university in line with national imperatives and international trends. Also, to provide operational support to the VC, in order to allow more room for the VC to attend to strategic functions, including his function as the “chief fundraising official”, to promote the financial sustainability of the university.

Part of the restructuring was the appointment of Prof. Percy Sepeng as Director in the Office of the Vice-Chancellor and Principal, with effect from January 2021. As most of you may know, Prof. Sepeng is a full professor, and brings solid experience in management and leadership in the higher education environment, having worked for seven other universities prior to joining CUT.

On behalf of the entire university community, I would like to wish Prof. Sepeng all of the best in this new position. I kindly request you to warmly welcome him in his new position, and to provide him and his family with all the necessary support to successfully execute his duties.

Kind regards / Ditumediso tse mofuthu / Vriendelike groete

Prof. Henk de Jager
Vice-Chancellor and Principal

Download the VC Communique, 14 May 2021 (PDF)