CUT and PanSALB advance plans for Sesotho Lexicography Hub. Pictured from left, standing, are Prof. Mogomme Masoga, newly appointed Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Teaching and Learning; Dr Choice Makhetha, Executive in the Office of the Vice-Chancellor; Prof. Samson Mashele, Acting Vice-Chancellor and Principal; and Dr Keaobaka Seshoka, CEO of PanSALB. Prof. Pamela Dube, Vice-Chancellor and Principal, joined the engagement virtually.

The Central University of Technology, Free State (CUT) is advancing discussions with the Pan South African Language Board (PanSALB) on the establishment of a National Language Unit (NLU) and Sesotho Lexicography Hub at the university.

Acting Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Prof. Samson Mashele, and newly appointed Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Teaching and Learning, Prof. Mogomme Masoga, hosted Dr Keaobaka Seshoka, Chief Executive Officer of PanSALB, to revive and advance discussions around CUT’s proposed role as the host institution for the National Language Unit (NLU) and Sesotho Lexicography Hub.

Situated in the Free State Province, in the heartland of Sesotho language and culture, CUT is strategically positioned to serve as a national centre for Sesotho language development, research and scholarship. The proposed Hub is envisioned to bring together Sesotho language experts, scholars and speakers from across South Africa, while creating opportunities for meaningful collaboration with universities and colleges in neighbouring Lesotho.

The initiative also presents an opportunity to strengthen the university’s partnerships with PanSALB and other national and international stakeholders, creating a platform for collaborative research, innovation, knowledge exchange and the advancement of Sesotho language resources. Further opportunities arising from the partnership will take shape once the Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) between CUT and PanSALB has been finalised and signed.

Prof. Mashele and Prof. Masoga welcomed the initiative, highlighting its potential to strengthen collaboration across CUT’s Teaching and Learning and Research, Innovation and Engagement portfolios. As the proposed work expands to national and international levels, the Sesotho Lexicography Hub is expected to position CUT as an important contributor to the preservation, development and promotion of Sesotho and its rich linguistic heritage.

The proposed partnership marks an important step towards establishing CUT as a hub for Sesotho lexicography and creating a lasting platform for language scholarship, collaboration and innovation.