Chancellor
Chancellor Dr VT Maphai
| Qualifications: BA (Hons) (Unisa), MPhil (Leuven), PhD (UKZN), Advanced Management Programme (Harvard), Finance for Senior Management (Harvard), Advanced Negotiation (Harvard). |
External Councillors
PORTFOLIO | COUNCIL MEMBERS | |
Audit and/or Risk |
| Professor Rajesh Mahabeer CA(SA) | FCMA CGMA | FCA (England & Wales) | BFP | FCCA | CIA | FIIASA | M.Inst.D | SARIPA | INSOL | MBA (Derby) | MCom (UKZN) | PGDip Accounting (UKZN) | NDip Cost Accounting (DUT) | PhD Candidate (WITS) Chairperson of Council | Central University of Technology, Free State Governance Strategist | Institutional Transformation Leader | Higher Education Steward | Audit & Risk Expert | Turnaround Specialist Professor Rajesh Mahabeer is a nationally recognised governance leader and institutional strategist who operates at the intersection of higher education governance, financial sustainability, institutional transformation, and long-term strategic stewardship. As Chairperson of the Council of Central University of Technology, Free State, he provides leadership at the highest level of institutional governance, overseeing strategy, financial sustainability, executive accountability, risk management, and long-term institutional positioning within South Africa’s increasingly complex higher education environment. He is widely recognised for leading in environments where institutional complexity is highest—organisations navigating financial constraints, governance instability, operational inefficiencies, regulatory scrutiny, infrastructure pressures, labour complexity, and large-scale transformation mandates requiring disciplined leadership and strategic intervention. Under his leadership, the Council’s role extends beyond compliance oversight toward institutional resilience, strategic competitiveness, and long-term sustainability. He has been instrumental in strengthening governance maturity, enhancing accountability frameworks, improving oversight discipline, and ensuring that institutional strategy is aligned with measurable academic, operational, financial, and societal outcomes. Professor Mahabeer brings more than four decades of leadership experience spanning board chairmanships, executive leadership roles, restructuring mandates, financial oversight, and institutional reform initiatives across both public and private sectors. His expertise includes: Higher education governance and institutional oversight Financial sustainability and capital stewardship Audit, risk and assurance leadership Governance reform and institutional stabilisation Strategic transformation execution Infrastructure oversight and capital allocation Regulatory governance and stakeholder management Organisational performance oversight Institutional restructuring and turnaround leadership His leadership capability is particularly valuable in the modern higher education environment, where universities must simultaneously balance academic excellence, financial sustainability, infrastructure expansion, digital transformation, student access, stakeholder expectations, and regulatory compliance. As a Chartered Accountant, Senior Business Rescue Practitioner, Adjunct Professor, and Professor of Practice, he brings a rare combination of academic credibility, technical financial expertise, governance sophistication, and real-world transformation capability. He is frequently called upon to provide leadership where institutions require more than governance compliance; they require strategic repositioning, institutional resilience, and leadership capable of protecting long-term public value. Professor Mahabeer is widely regarded as a transformative Council Chair who understands that universities are not only academic institutions; they are complex economic, social, and innovation platforms, and national development platforms that require sophisticated governance leadership. He leads with a clear mandate: strengthen institutional governance, protect financial sustainability, enhance academic competitiveness, and position the Central University of Technology, Free State, for enduring national relevance and global competitiveness. |
Convocation | Cllr RK Selebedi (Deputy Chairperson) | |
Ministerial Appointees (5) |  Cllr S Njikelana | |
Dr Yolanda Davids is an accomplished research management and higher education professional, with more than two decades of experience in academic leadership, grants administration, research development, and institutional strategy within South Africa’s higher education sector. She currently serves as Deputy Director in the Research Office at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), where she oversees strategic research initiatives, manages multimillion-Rand funding portfolios, and supports the development of high-impact research collaborations and postgraduate programmes. Dr Davids holds a PhD in Business Management, and has extensive expertise in research and innovation management, grant funding systems, stakeholder engagement, project management, and research capacity development. Throughout her career, she has successfully managed research and student funding portfolios exceeding hundreds of millions of Rands; developed institutional policies and operational frameworks; and led initiatives that improved research administration efficiency, and strengthened compliance and governance systems. Prior to joining Wits, she held senior leadership roles at the National Research Foundation (NRF) and the National Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences, where she contributed significantly to postgraduate funding strategies, monitoring and evaluation systems, and institutional performance management. She is also an experienced facilitator, mentor and presenter, who has presented numerous national and international workshops on research management, grant proposal writing, and research impact. Her work has contributed to strengthening research capacity and fostering collaborative academic partnerships across Africa. | ||
Higher Education | Cllr Dr TV Mda | Dr Thobeka Vuyelwa Mda is a retired Full Professor of Education, and former Dean of the Faculty of Education at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT). In an education career spanning more than 40 years, she has held senior academic and leadership positions at the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) and the University of South Africa (Unisa), where she was the first female dean and one of the first two Black deans. She holds a PhD in Education Policy and Leadership from Ohio State University. Over the course of her career, she has contributed extensively to social sciences postgraduate studies, teaching research coursework; offering research workshops and supervision towards students’ completion of master’s and doctoral studies; and teaching and writing language education and language policies. Her academic specialisation includes curriculum studies, language education, and research methodology, with particular focus on qualitative research. She has presented papers at international conferences; given keynote addresses; and published widely in the areas of teaching and learning, integrated education, and language policies. She has served on numerous national and international boards and professional bodies, amongst others as former member of the Executive Committee of the World Council of Comparative Education Societies, and as contributor to South Africa’s 1997 Language in Education Policy. Her work continues to support education scholarship and leadership across the African continent. In addition to the CUT Council, she serves as a member of the African Scholars Fund Board, Anglican Board of Education Southern Africa, Western Cape Forum for Intellectual Disability, and the Vera Grover Scholarship Trust. |
Business and Marketing | Mr Aubrey Dladla is a highly accomplished marketing professional and agricultural governance expert, with more than 12 years’ experience in strategic marketing, and more than 20 years’ registration with the South African Veterinary Council (SAVC) as an Animal Health Technician (AHT). He currently serves as Marketing Specialist at Onderstepoort Biological Products (OBP). Aubrey has been instrumental in bridging veterinary science with commercial marketing for nearly two decades, including representing OBP at key agricultural forums at both local and international level. Aubrey’s expertise is underpinned by a robust academic background, including a Master of Business Leadership (MBL) from the University of South Africa (Unisa) Graduate School of Business Leadership (SBL); a BPhil Hons in Marketing Management from the Institute of Marketing Management Graduate School (IMMGSM); a Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration from Milpark Business School; a Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing Management from IMMGSM; and a Postgraduate Diploma in Digital Marketing from Regent Business School. His dedication to professional development and governance is evidenced by his registration with the Institute of Directors South Africa (IoDSA) and completion of the Accelerated Director Programme. Aubrey actively contributes to the transformation of the agricultural sector, serving as a Ministerial Trustee on the Mohair Trust, and on the Mohair Empowerment Trust as an Observer Trustee. He also participated in the development project for para-vets within the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) South Africa initiatives of developing own businesses. He serves as an Animal Health Academic Committee member at North-West University (NWU), contributing to the curriculum of developing AHT training to be relevant to the current needs of the profession. He was also an executive member of the South African Association of Animal Health Technicians. | |
Technology | Ms Ulandi Exner – Management Consultant/Advisor | Board Leader | Advocate for Women Ulandi Exner is an accomplished information and communication technology (ICT) professional and business leader, with over two decades of multinational experience in technology leadership, governance, and digital transformation. She has held senior executive roles, including as group information technology (IT) executive, chief operating officer (COO) and director, and formerly served as Chairperson of the Africa ICT Alliance (AfICTA) – the first woman ever to hold this position. A former President of the Institute of IT Professionals South Africa (IITPSA), Ulandi worked tirelessly in advancing the professionalisation of the ICT industry, strengthening governance, and promoting ethical leadership. Through her consultancy, Lands Consulting, she advises both public and private organisations on ICT strategy; risk; corporate governance; and cybersecurity, helping them align technology with business growth and accountability. Recognised as an IITPSA Fellow, Ulandi has been celebrated for her visionary leadership; thought leadership; and advocacy for digital ethics, diversity and innovation. She currently serves on multiple boards and governance committees, including at Broadband Infraco (BBI), the South Africa Police Service (SAPS), Bestmed, the Presidency of South Africa, and the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI), where she contributes to shaping policy and governance frameworks. She also serves as a part-time lecturer at Nelson Mandela University (NMU), where she teaches the MPhil IT Security module, nurturing the next generation of ICT leaders. Driven by integrity, excellence and impact, Ulandi Exner continues to redefine leadership in the digital era; empower women; strengthen institutions; and champion the responsible use of technology for socio-economic advancement. | |
Finance |
Cllr C Moshao | |
Agriculture | Mr Happy Mohane is the founder and Managing Director of Trade Afrika Farms, which is a South African-based company invested in the agricultural sector. Prior to establishing his own company, he was employed as a Senior Manager for Agribusiness Development at the National Agricultural Marketing Council (NAMC). While at the NAMC, he was instrumental in facilitating development schemes such as the Vineyard Development Scheme and Red Meat Development Scheme, as well as business linkages programmes, such as the Supply Chain and Logistics Development Programme (SCLP) funded by the Flemish government. Prior to joining the NAMC, he was employed as a Research Specialist at ECI Africa, where he was responsible for coordinating the operations of two joint regional trade projects in Angola and Namibia. Mr Mohane was also employed as a Country Lead as part of a three-year United Kingdom (UK)-funded programme, Trade Forward Southern Africa, which operated across Southern African Customs Union (SACU) countries and Mozambique. He brings vast knowledge in enterprise development, economic development, agriculture, economic analysis, business linkages, monitoring and evaluation, and development finance. Mr Mohane served on various boards, such as Orange River Cellars (ORC); Orange River Tankers (ORT); South African Grain Information Services (SAGIS); Sorghum Trust; and the Grain Farmer Development Association (GFADA). He is currently serving as board member of the South African Winter Cereal Industry Agency (SAWCIA) and NAMC. Mr Mohane holds the following degrees and certificates: MCom Economics from the then University of Natal MSc Agricultural Economics from the University of Pretoria BSc Honours in Agricultural Economics from the University of Pretoria BSc Agriculture from North-West University Certificate Programme in Finance and Accounting from the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) Business School Short Course on Principles of Monitoring and Evaluation from the University of Pretoria | |
Law | Cllr Judge NM Mbhele | Judge Nobulawo Martha Mbhele has been a Judge of the High Court of South Africa, Free State Provincial Division since 1 January 2016. She was appointed as the Deputy Judge President of the Free State High Court on 1 July 2021. In 2016, she was appointed Acting Judge of the High Court of Lesotho. She acted as Justice of the Supreme Court of Appeal from 1 December 2023 until 31 May 2024. She is the current Chairperson of the Board of Legal Aid South Africa. After completing a BProc degree at the University of the North in 1995, she commenced her legal career at Kubushi Molemela and TP Mosese Attorneys as a Candidate Attorney in 1996. She was admitted as an Attorney of the High Court of South Africa, and joined Legal Aid South Africa in 2002, where she held various positions, including that of Justice Centre Executive and Regional Operations Executive. In 2012, she joined Mhlambi Incorporated as a director until her elevation to the High Court bench. She served in the Free State Law Society as a councillor, and chaired various committees in the Law Society of South Africa, as well as the national executive committees of the Black Lawyers Association; South African Women Lawyers Association; National Forum on the Legal Profession; and the Free State Gender Forum. In addition, she was a member of the Board of Control of the Attorneys Fidelity Fund, and a Trustee of the Black Lawyers Association Legal Education Centre. She was also a trustee of the Legal Provident Fund. In addition, she served as Deputy Chairperson of the Matjhabeng Municipal Spatial Planning Tribunal. She was also a member of the Free State Centre for Citizenship Education and Conflict Resolution. Judge Mbhele is actively involved in the Trial Advocacy Skills Training programme of the Black Lawyers Association Legal Education Centre, and is passionate about gender equality. She was a member of the Free State Network on Violence against Women, and in 2012, she was one of CEO Magazine’s finalists for the South Africa’s Most Influential Women Award in the Legal category. |
Science |
| Dr Dharmarai Naicker holds a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Environmental Mycotoxicology, a Master of Medical Science degree from the University of KwaZulu‑Natal (UKZN)’s School of Medicine, and a Master’s Degree in Business Leadership (MBL). This multidisciplinary academic foundation spans biomedical science, food safety risk assessment, and executive leadership. She also completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Cape Town (UCT), and is registered as a Professional Scientist with the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions (SACNASP)
She is currently the Business Manager for Health and Nutrition at SGS Southern Africa, which is part of Swiss-based SGS – the world’s largest multinational testing, inspection and certification organisation. In this role, she leads the expansion of testing services across multiple sectors. Dr Naicker contributes to academia, having served as an Extraordinary Senior Lecturer at the UKZN and the University of Pretoria (UP). She has examined doctoral and master’s theses and honours research projects, and served on National Research Foundation (NRF) review panels. Her scholarly contributions include peer‑reviewed publications, invitations to serve as reviewer to journals, patents, research group leadership, and presentations at national and international conferences.She serves as an Institute of Directors South Africa (IoDSA)-certified director on the boards of the South African National Accreditation System (SANAS) and the National Laboratory Association of South Africa (NLA-SA). |
Engineering | Dr Paul Lombard is a registered Professional Engineer with 40 years’ experience in the fields of institutional restructuring and transportation engineering, financing and planning, as well as management consulting. Paul’s management experience includes being Managing Director for Aurecon in Africa and the Middle East, subsequently the Middle East and Asia, and finally Zutari’s Regional Director for East Africa. He simultaneously served as Executive Director for up to 12 subsidiary companies in the group. In addition, he was an independent Non-Executive Director of DRA Global, a mining consulting company, for three years. He has participated as project leader or subject expert in transportation sector projects throughout Africa, including in countries such as South Africa; Namibia; Botswana; Lesotho; Swaziland; Zimbabwe; the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC); Zambia; Malawi; Angola; Mozambique; Mauritius; Djibouti; Ghana; Sierra Leone; Nigeria; Kenya; Tanzania; Uganda; Rwanda; Burundi; and Ethiopia, as well as Lebanon; the United States of America (USA); and Ireland. These projects were typically funded by agencies such as the World Bank; European Union (EU); African Development Bank (AfDB); Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW) Development Bank; the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA); the United States Agency for International Development (USAID); and the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF). He has also been appointed in a personal capacity to do projects financed by the World Bank and the AfDB. Paul furthermore has considerable lecturing experience. He has co-presented postgraduate courses in transportation planning at the University of Pretoria (UP), Stellenbosch University (SU), and the University of Johannesburg (UJ), and has served as an external examiner for postgraduate students. He received a PhD in Urban and Transportation Engineering from Purdue University, USA, in 1991. Prior to this, he was selected as a Fulbright Scholar (1988) and obtained a Master of Science in Civil Engineering (MSCE) degree (1989) at Purdue University, as well as a BEng (Civil) (cum laude) degree at UP (1985). | |
Local/regional development and governance expertise in the area where the university has its seat – appointed by the Metropolitan Council of Mangaung | Cllr NA Nhlapo | Cllr Ntombi Nhlapo is a public leader, governance practitioner, and urban planning scholar with extensive experience in local government, higher education governance, and public policy. She currently serves as Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Planning and Human Settlements in the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality, providing strategic leadership and oversight on planning, land use, and human settlement development. She previously served as Chairperson of the Council Committee on Remuneration and Benefits, and serves as a Centlec Board member, contributing to corporate governance and service delivery oversight. She is a Provincial Executive Member of the South African Local Government Association, Free State, and Chairperson of the Human Settlements and Urban Agenda Working Group, contributing to intergovernmental policy dialogue and development planning. In higher education governance, she serves on the Executive Committee (Exco) of the University of the Free State Convocation, and has served in several student leadership structures, including two terms as Students’ Representative Council (SRC) Treasurer, during which she helped lead fundraising initiatives that enabled over 130 students to register. Her areas of expertise include strategic governance, urban and regional planning, human settlement policy, stakeholder engagement, public financial oversight, and community development. She holds a BA in Governance and Political Transformation and an honours degree in political sciences, and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in urban and regional planning. Her notable achievements include published thought leadership, participation in social justice research initiatives, and continued advocacy for youth development, inclusive governance, and transformative public institutions. |
Internal Councillors
PORTFOLIO | COUNCIL MEMBERS | |
Vice-Chancellor and Principal | Prof. Pamela Dube, Vice-Chancellor and Principal: Central University of Technology, Free State (CUT)
BA & BA Hons (University of KwaZulu-Natal), MA & PhD (University of Siegen, Germany) Prof. Dube is a distinguished academic leader, and the first female Vice-Chancellor and Principal of CUT, as well as the first female Vice-Chancellor and Principal in the Free State province. With a career spanning both national and international academic institutions, she previously served as Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Student Development and Support at the University of the Western Cape (UWC), focusing on student success and well-being. Her versatile career includes roles as lecturer and researcher at the University of Siegen in Germany, at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), and at the Kathmandu University in Nepal. She has held senior and executive administrative and professional management positions at entities and institutions such as the national Nuclear Energy Corporation of South Africa (NECSA) and the former National Department of Education (DoE); has served as the Dean of Student Affairs at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), and as Executive Director for Human Resources, as well as Special Advisor to the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Johannesburg (UJ). Prof. Dube earned her PhD in Interdisciplinary Studies in Humanities at the University of Siegen in Germany, specialising in postcolonial literature, gender studies, and media studies. Her PhD was published as a book in 1997, and she has contributed to numerous peer-reviewed international publications, including serving as a reviewer for the California University Press publication Resonance: The Journal of Sound and Culture, as well as for the Journal of Student Affairs in Africa.
She also holds high-level professional management qualifications from the University of Cape Town (UCT) Business School, Bryn Mawr in Pennsylvania, and Oxford University Saïd Business School. An active member of boards of trustees in diverse structures in higher education, she has co-chaired the Association of Commonwealth Universities’ Higher Education and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Network Steering Committee, and has served, amongst others, as member of the Rural Education Access Programme (REAP) Board, as well as the Universities Sports Company, advancing intervarsity sports. She currently serves on the Claude Leon Foundation Board and the United Kingdom (UK)-based World Access to Higher Education Network (WAHEN), and is the Deputy Chairperson of the Free State’s Investment and Economic Advisory Council (IEAC) (the IEAC advising the Premier). She also serves at Universities South Africa (USAf); the association of Vice-Chancellors; as the Vice-Chair of USAf, and as Chairperson of the Transformation Strategy Group. She further serves as Chairperson of the Technological Higher Education Network South Africa (THENSA). Prof. Dube has pioneered partnerships with academic, government and industry leaders, both locally and internationally, and has initiated projects aimed at bridging the gaps in the technology-human interface space; promoting student employability and readiness for the future world of work; advancing data-driven academic support initiatives for student success; and promoting gender equity dialogues addressing gender-based dialogues (GBV) and masculinity. She is a recognised Honorary Member of the Golden Key Society, offering mentorship to students, and has been awarded the 2024 #BlackTechFutures Research Centre (Stilman College, United States (USA)) Gold Medal for her promotion of human-centred artificial intelligence and technology developments, as well as the 2023 Presidency Lifetime Award by the Association of Student Affairs and Services Professionals (SAASSAP) for her substantial contributions to higher education, and to student support and services. | |
2 x Deputy Vice-Chancellors (DVCs) | Cllr Prof. W Setlalentoa Acting DVC: Teaching and Learning | |
Prof. S Mashele DVC: Research, Innovation and Engagement | ||
2 x academic members of Senate, elected by Senate in the manner determined by Senate | Zenzile Khetsha is an Associate Professor in Agriculture and Acting Head of Department: Agriculture in the Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences at the Central University of Technology, Free State (CUT). He holds a Doctor Technologiae (DTech) in Agriculture, a Postgraduate Diploma in Leadership Development, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education from CUT, Stellenbosch University, and Rhodes University, respectively. He is a Teaching Advancement at Universities (TAU) 4 Fellow, and is very passionate about higher education studies, with a focus on addressing students' learning needs. He published a paper, Theorising the Curriculum as Praxis in Agricultural Management: Case of Central University of Technology, Free State, in a Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET)-accredited journal, declaring his teaching philosophy in teaching agriculture. Zenzile is also a Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) mentor, and is extensively involved in postgraduate supervision in the field of crop science. He is registered as a Certified Natural Scientist with the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions (SACNASP); a recognised Fertilizer Advisor at the Fertilizer Society of South Africa (FERTASA); and a recognised member of the International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS). He has published over 35 articles since 2020, with the majority focusing on crop science, horticulture and/or higher education. | |
Prof. Pule Phindane is a Full Professor in Linguistics and Language Education, and former Head of Department (HoD) of Language and Social Sciences Education at the Central University of Technology, Free State (CUT). Prof Phindane is a National Research Foundation (NRF) C3-rated researcher. He is currently responsible for research studies in linguistics and language education. He has published more than 25 international and national articles and chapters in folklore, linguistics, and language teaching. From 2012 to 2015, he was involved in a European Union (EU) multimillion rand project consisting of four universities in South Africa, in which he was the coordinator representing CUT. The main aim of the project was to strengthen and develop Foundation Phase education in South Africa. His research interest is in folklore, sociolinguistics, mother tongue education, and second language teaching and learning. He is currently: - a CUT Senate member; - a former Chairperson of the South African Folklore Association (SAFOS); - member of the Editorial Board of the Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Science, indexed at Google Scholar (internationally); and - serving on the Department of Basic Education’s Audit Committee in the Free State. - a CUT Council member. | ||
1 x academic employee, elected by the academic employees in the manner determined by the institutional rules | ||
2 x employees who are not academic employees, elected by the employees who are not academic employees, in the manner determined by the institutional rules | Dr KC Nunes | Dr Charlotte Nunes is the Director: Student Academic Development and Support at the Central University of Technology, Free State (CUT), and the Institutional Lead for the Siyaphumelela Student Success Initiative – a national initiative focused on advancing evidence-based student success strategies across the South African higher education sector. She holds a PhD in Education Management, Law and Policy from the University of Pretoria (UP), and has more than 14 years’ experience in education research and programme management. Prior to joining CUT in 2021, she was a Research Specialist at the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC). She currently serves as Deputy Chairperson of the Human Research Ethics Committee at CUT, and previously served on the HSRC Research Ethics Committee. Her work focuses on student success, as well as ethical accountability and risk mitigation in research. Her scholarly contributions include publications in peer-reviewed journals, and presentations at national and international conferences. |
2 x students of the university, elected by the Students’ Representative Council (SRC) | Cllr L Nkatshane | |
 Cllr TT Zungu | ||
