“VUT student Refiloe Mokone shares the inspiration behind his futuristic mascot design, one of three finalists in the University’s mascot competition.”
23 October 2026 | Story by: Qhawekazi Memani | Picture: Keitumetse Mokgope
2 minutes read time.
Inspired by Power Rangers and Robocop, Mr Refiloe Mokone imagined a futuristic character that could capture the spirit of a university constantly moving forward. Today, his design is among the three finalists in the Vaal University of Technology (VUT) mascot competition.
For the Advanced Diploma in Graphic Design student, the creative journey began with listening to the brief presented by the Marketing Department. The University wanted something different: a character that reflected innovation, technological advancement and its evolving identity.
“The first thing that came to mind was Power Rangers crossed with Robocop, funnily enough,” he says.
That initial spark developed into a concept grounded in how Mr Mokone sees VUT.
“I see it as a university that advances,” he says.
He wanted his mascot to embody that momentum while remaining connected to student life. In his view, a university’s character lives through its students, their experiences, ambitions and contributions. The mascot therefore needed to feel part of the community, able to celebrate alongside students and reflect their changing world.
The design process also involved collaboration, with elements from concepts developed by fellow students considered and combined as the character evolved.
As VUT celebrates its 60th anniversary, Mr Mokone sees the mascot as an opportunity to honour the institution’s journey while looking towards its future.
“What influenced my design was the university’s will to continuously move and advance with the wave of change,” he explains.
His creative journey also prompted reflection on artificial intelligence (AI). Initially, the challenge was developing the mascot without relying on AI. As the project progressed, he began considering how designers could work with emerging technologies while preserving their own creative judgement.
“AI is going to be a tool that we’re all going to be using in our daily lives very soon,” he says.
For Mr Mokone, winning would mean more than personal recognition. It would demonstrate the value of giving students opportunities to help shape the institution they call their own.
“Personally, it would mean that every student in the University has the ability to contribute something towards its identity if given the chance,” he says.
His concept carries that belief: students arrive at university with different backgrounds and ambitions, but the talents they develop can become part of a shared institutional story.
With his design now among the three finalists, Mr Mokone has already contributed to that story during VUT’s milestone anniversary year.
VUT wishes Mr Mokone the best of luck as the University community looks forward to the announcement of the winning mascot design.