At the Welkom Campus official opening and launch of the new blazer. Pictured here is Chancellor: Madam Justice Mahube Molemela, (front row-middle left), Vice-Chancellor and Principal: Prof. Henk de Jager (front row-middle right), Dr Clement Moreku (front row, left corner, Dr Dicks Nkonoane (front row, right corner) with the SRC Welkom Campus.

CUT officially opened its 2019 academic doors on 30 January at the Welkom campus. The day was filled with lots of fun and joy, as the CUT choir and traditional dancers entertained the audience with wonderful renditions.

The Welkom traditional dancers entertained the audience with wonderful renditions.

In his welcome address, Prof. Henk de Jager, Vice-Chancellor and Principal officially welcomed all students and gave special greetings to first-year students.

“It is my great pleasure to welcome you to this campus this morning and I wish to congratulate all of you for securing your space at CUT.  Your arrival at this university marks an important chapter in the story of your life. While you are here, you will have the opportunity to learn new things, acquire new knowledge, develop new skills and enhance your personal and academic attributes in profound ways that will prepare you on how to contribute to your families and communities as responsible citizens. Make maximum use of this opportunity and never stop dreaming. Each one of you has the potential to be a CUT graduate soon. Go out there and make a difference on our campus and society. You have indeed joined thousands of students who have made CUT a home away from home, and we thank you for choosing us.”

Prof. de Jager also highlighted the challenges that come with a lot of freedom. “Some of our students are experiencing tremendous pressure. If you find it hard to cope, do not run away, rather seek help. As a university, we have state-of-the-art resources to support your learning and development. We have centres such as Wellness, counselling services and libraries that are here to support you both academically and emotionally. Should you feel stressed out, please reach out and contact your lecturers, mentors, classmates, housemates, friends and most importantly, your SRC. They are there to serve you. We also have a lot of activities that we would like you to take part in.”

He further mentioned that CUT Welkom Campus is on an excellent growth trajectory from the year 2010 with only 2200 student enrollment to 2018 with 4060 students.

“The year 2019 is a transformative phase in which staff and students are reimagining CUT and living their values- integrity, diversity, customer service, innovation and excellence. “Our aim is to be a true CUT brand and by living these values, we stand to walk the talk with honesty. Let us as the CUT family embrace this theme and commit to it. Let us live these values and show to the rest of the world that CUT is a diverse university.” 

The campus SRC President, Mr Thabo Caleni, accentuated the importance of education among youth. He said that it is important for students to obtain a qualification, discover their mission, equip themselves with knowledge, enhance their skills and contribute to the innovation of the institution. He also encouraged students to always focus despite their challenges. “If you experience any hardship and struggle financially and otherwise, don’t lose focus. Some of us have experienced financial challenges, but we never lost hope.”

CUT Welkom Campus is open for the 2019 academic year.

He urged CUT management and student leadership to create conducive platforms where they can constantly engage on burning issues to avoid unnecessary disruptions and unrests that causes delays and hinders the progress of the university.