The Central University of Technology, Free State (CUT) is pleased to announce that its Council Chairperson, Councillor Rajesh Mahabeer, has been appointed as Adjunct Professor at the University of the Free State’s (UFS) School of Accountancy for a three-year term, effective 01 September 2025 to 31 August 2028.

Councillor Mahabeer assumed the role of Chairperson of CUT’s Council in November 2024, bringing with him a wealth of experience and a steadfast commitment to higher education, institutional governance, and CUT’s strategic mission.

 A Senior Chartered Accountant, he has 46 years of distinguished experience spanning financial management, corporate governance, and executive leadership across both the public and private sectors. For 25 years, he served as a C-suite executive at leading organisations including AECI, Tetra Pak International, OTH Beier & Company, and Hart Limited. In the public sector, he held Chief Financial Officer (CFO) roles at Walter Sisulu University, the Auditor-General of South Africa (AGSA), and South African National Parks. In 2017, he was nominated for the Best CFO in the Public Sector award by CFO South Africa in recognition of his contributions.

His professional credentials include CA(SA), FCMA, CGMA, FCA (England and Wales), BFP, FCCA, CIA, FIIASA, MInstD, SARIPA, and INSOL designations. Academically, he holds an MBA from the University of Derby; an MCom and Postgraduate Diploma in Accounting from the University of KwaZulu-Natal; and a National Diploma in Cost Accounting from the Durban University of Technology.

This appointment further strengthens the longstanding collaboration between CUT and UFS and represents a valuable step toward enhancing the quality and impact of higher education in the Free State and beyond.

CUT extends its warmest congratulations to Councillor Mahabeer and looks forward to the significant contributions his expertise, vision, and dedication will bring to both institutions.