“During an oversight visit to VUT, the DHET Deputy Minister committed to funding support for underprivileged learners while assessing readiness for the 2026 academic year.”
10 February 2026 | Story by: Nontobeko Moimane | Picture by: Peter Masela
3 minutes read time.
The Deputy Minister of the Department of Higher Education and Training, Dr Mimmy Gondwe, affirmed her office’s commitment to supporting underprivileged learners during an oversight visit to the Vaal University of Technology (VUT) on 04 February 2026, placing student access and social inclusion at the heart of the institution’s 2026 academic readiness programme.
The visit formed part of a national oversight programme by the Department of Higher Education and Training, aimed at assessing institutional preparedness during the critical registration and first-year orientation period across the higher education sector.
Proceedings commenced at the First-Year Orientation Programme held at the Desmond Tutu Great Hall, where the Deputy Minister and her delegation engaged directly with new students beginning their academic journey. The engagement provided a platform to reflect on the realities faced by many first-year students, particularly those navigating financial and social barriers to access.
Led by the Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Khehla Ndlovu, the delegation was received by university leadership, who outlined VUT’s readiness initiatives, student support mechanisms, and ongoing efforts to ensure a stable and enabling academic environment for the 2026 academic year.
Addressing the students, Professor Ndlovu expressed confidence in the institution’s preparedness and described the oversight visit as an affirmation of VUT’s commitment to student success, institutional accountability, and inclusive access to higher education.
In her address, the Deputy Minister congratulated first-year students on reaching a pivotal milestone and encouraged them to approach their studies with discipline, resilience, and purpose. Reflecting on her own academic journey, she acknowledged the uncertainties that often accompany the transition to university life, while emphasising the transformative power of higher education.
“Higher education remains one of the most powerful instruments against poverty, unemployment, inequality, and social exclusion,” she said. “Your success does not end with you. It carries your families, your communities, and the country forward.”
She further encouraged students to dream boldly, noting that among them were future leaders, innovators, and policymakers who would contribute meaningfully to South Africa’s development trajectory.
Following the orientation programme, the Deputy Minister met with VUT’s executive and senior management, where presentations focused on institutional readiness, admissions processes, infrastructure capacity, funding pressures, and broader sustainability challenges confronting the sector.
The Deputy Minister emphasised that the oversight visit was collaborative rather than punitive in nature, aimed at gaining a clearer understanding of institutional realities and identifying areas where targeted support and intervention could strengthen the student experience. She reaffirmed the Department’s commitment to improving access, enhancing communication, and fostering stronger partnerships between institutions, students, and communities.
The visit concluded with engagements involving student leadership and key stakeholders, reinforcing the importance of student voices in shaping responsive and inclusive higher education environments.
VUT’s engagement with the Deputy Minister underscored not only the institution’s operational readiness for the 2026 academic year, but also a shared resolve to widen access and ensure that financial exclusion does not stand in the way of academic potential.