“At the Vaal University of Technology Gala Dinner, Ms Mandisa Cakweof DHET emphasised student-centred transformation, data-driven support, and alignment with national priorities to shape South Africa’s higher education future.”
16 September 2025 | Story By: Qhawekazi Memani | Picture: Naledi Nkosi
2 minutes read time.
At the Vaal University of Technology (VUT) Gala Dinner on 10 September 2025, Ms Mandisa Cakwe, Director of University Capacity Development at the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), delivered a thought-provoking address on the future of higher education in South Africa.
She reflected on the global wave of university expansion since the late 1980s, noting that while access widened, institutional cultures did not change at the same pace. “#FeesMustFall was a cry that our universities had not changed,” she observed, urging the sector to address the deeper structural and cultural issues that continue to hinder transformation.
At the heart of her speech was a powerful call to put students first. “Universities exist because of students,” she said. “It is unimaginable that in the 21st century we are still talking about professionalising student affairs. How were student support services left out when all other divisions were catered for within universities?”
Ms Cakwe emphasised the importance of harnessing data gathered at enrolment to personalise support for students from the outset, rather than waiting for problems to emerge. She stressed that proactive, data-driven approaches could significantly improve student success and retention.
Looking ahead, she underscored the alignment of higher education with South Africa’s national development priorities: inclusive growth, job creation, poverty reduction and the building of a capable, ethical, developmental state. “As government, we rely on you to ensure that these priorities are realised,” she told academics and administrators.
Her address resonated strongly with the audience, offering both a critique of the past and a clear vision for the future: a higher education system that is inclusive, student-centred, and responsive to the country’s pressing social and economic needs.