The Durban University of Technology (DUT) Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Thandwa Mthembu assured first-year students, their parents and guardians that they have made a right choice by choosing DUT. He was speaking at the Vice-Chancellor’s Welcome Address and Parents Day at the Curries Fountain Stadium in Durban on Tuesday, 04 February 2025.
Prof Mthembu was accompanied by members of Executive and Senior Management team and the Student Representative Council (SRC) members led by the SRC President, Mr Solomzi Zoleka. This event formed part of the ADAPT@DUT First Year Student Orientation Week, aimed to help bridge the gap between high school life and the university life. Entertaining and extending a warm welcome to the students and parents was the award-winning DUT Choir.
“Firstly, I am reassuring you that you made the right decision by choosing to enrol at a DUT that is Different, Upending and Transforming; a DUT that is trailblazing amongst universities of technology in a plethora of ways. We are a university that abhors good because, as Jim Collins says, ‘good is the enemy of great’. We are intentional in becoming great. To become distinctive, outstanding and great, DUT do not follow trends; we do not fight to fit in. We set the bar high up for nobody else, but ourselves. We lead the way,” said Prof Mthembu.
He congratulated the new students on successfully completing their basic education phase.
Parents and students at the Vice-Chancellor’s Welcome Address.
“To successfully complete the twelve-year journey of basic education is an affirmation of determination, resilience, will-power, discipline, and focus amongst many other attributes we all need to achieve even the most modest of our goals. Thus, I am proud to be addressing an army of winners this morning, confident that they are about to make a sterling contribution towards a Different, Upending and Transforming DUT,” said Prof Mthembu.
He mentioned that late this year he will be completing his ninth year at the Vice-Chancellor and Principal at DUT. Prof Mthembu was proud to say that he was now presiding over a completely Different, Upending and Transforming DUT than the one he inherited when he joined the university in 2016. Historically, he mentioned that DUT was known as the protest capital of the South African public universities, however over the years, working together with the student leadership they have managed build a new legacy for DUT.
“It’s time our students find a new legacy. That legacy should not just be a shadow of past legacies of struggle, past chants, past songs, past dances. It should be a bright new light that shines on all of South Africa. It should be, proverbially, like a ripened fruit for all of us to enjoy and not a wormed fruit that will make all of us spit and puke. It’s time, without apportioning blame and without being degenerative and retrogressive, our youth focuses hawk-like on how to extricate this socio-economy from the doldrums it is in. It’s not about who sunk our socio-economy that will make us prosper; but, who lifted it up from the doldrums. That would be a better legacy,” advised Prof Mthembu.
He encouraged the new students to familiarise themselves with the ENVISION2030 strategy and strive to live by the DUT values and principles, namely; transparency, honesty, integrity, respect, accountability, fairness, professionalism, commitment, compassion and excellence.
The Dean Students, Dr Clement Moreku congratulated the first-year students for joining the lively and diverse DUT community, where their academic journey begins.
Sharing the same sentiments was the DUT Registrar, Dr Maditsane Nkonoane who led the DUT ENVISION2030 Student Pledge. All students committed to upholding values and principles of DUT throughout their academic journey.
Parents and students left the event excited about being part of the DUT community.
Pictured: DUT Vice-Chancellor and Principal addressing first-year students.
Photographer: S’bonelo Dlamini
Simangele Zuma
