The Central University of Technology, Free State (CUT), is pleased to announce the appointment of Ms Maureen Malaka as Senior Director: Estates and Infrastructure, effective 1 August 2026. A highly accomplished infrastructure strategist, she has successfully led large-scale infrastructure programmes, institutional master planning and facilities operations that have strengthened university capacity, enhanced the student experience and created environments that enable teaching, learning, research and innovation to thrive.

Her appointment marks an important step in strengthening CUT's Estates and Infrastructure portfolio as the university continues to invest in infrastructure that enables academic excellence, research, innovation and sustainable campus development. With a proven track record of delivering transformative capital programmes and institutional master planning, Ms Malaka is well positioned to lead the development of future-ready campuses that enhance the student experience and support CUT's long-term strategic ambitions.

Ms Malaka brings more than 17 years of leadership experience in infrastructure development, estates management and capital project delivery within South Africa's higher education sector. She joins CUT from Sol Plaatje University, where she served as Director: Infrastructure Project Management and Facilities Services, leading an infrastructure portfolio exceeding R1.5 billion. She previously held senior project management roles at the University of the Free State and at CUT, where she coordinated the university's infrastructure master plan and delivered new buildings across the Bloemfontein and Welkom campuses. Across her career, she has successfully delivered more than 45 capital infrastructure projects at three South African universities.

Her expertise spans the full infrastructure lifecycle, capital programme management, estates and facilities operations, procurement, governance and integrated service delivery. She has led multidisciplinary teams responsible for facilities management, occupational health and safety, security, cleaning and support services, while managing complex stakeholder environments to ensure infrastructure investments deliver long-term institutional value, operational efficiency and sustainable campus development.

A respected leader in the sector, Ms Malaka served as President of the Higher Education Facilities Management Association (HEFMA) for the 2022/23 term and currently chairs the HEFMA Central Region Chapter. She is also an AFSA Qualified Mediator and Arbitrator, with recognised expertise in construction contract management and alternative dispute resolution, with recognised expertise in governance, reflecting her commitment to ethical leadership, sound governance and collaborative stakeholder engagement.

Ms Malaka holds a Master of Science in Construction Management from the University of the Free State as her highest qualification, complemented by a Bachelor of Technology in Project Management from CUT. Her academic background is complemented a range of professional certificates in project management, construction contracts, procurement, leadership and mediation, underscoring her commitment to continuous professional development and excellence in infrastructure leadership.

As Senior Director: Estates and Infrastructure, she will lead CUT's estates, infrastructure development and built environment portfolio, ensuring the university's physical infrastructure continues to support academic excellence, innovation and sustainable, future-ready campuses that enable student success. research excellence and meaningful societal impact.