{"id":44845,"date":"2026-10-23T07:06:59","date_gmt":"2026-10-23T07:06:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vut.ac.za\/?p=44845"},"modified":"2026-10-23T07:07:05","modified_gmt":"2026-10-23T07:07:05","slug":"from-machine-to-mascot-wandile-majiyas-design-among-vuts-three-finalists","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vut.ac.za\/st\/from-machine-to-mascot-wandile-majiyas-design-among-vuts-three-finalists\/","title":{"rendered":"From machine to mascot: Wandile Majiya\u2019s design among VUT\u2019s three finalists"},"content":{"rendered":"

“VUT student Wandile Majiya shares how his mascot design, one of three finalists, captures student resilience, innovation and the University\u2019s evolving identity.”<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

22 October 2026 | Story by: Qhawekazi Memani | Picture:<\/strong> Ke o tshwarile, Mokgope\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nako ea ho bala metsotso e 2.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\n \"Motheo\n
\n VUT Advanced Diploma in Graphic Design student Wandile Majiya is one of three finalists in the University\u2019s 60th anniversary mascot design competition, recognised for his futuristic, athletic concept that embodies student resilience, innovation and VUT\u2019s evolving identity.\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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What began as a bulky mechanical character evolved into a futuristic athlete, capturing Mr Wandile Majiya\u2019s vision of a university and its students constantly moving forward. His design is now among the three finalists in the Vaal University of Technology (VUT) mascot competition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the Advanced Diploma in Graphic Design student, the project offered an opportunity to contribute to the identity of an institution celebrating 60 years of growth and transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA logo identifies an institution, while a mascot gives the institution a character people can recognise and interact with,\u201d he explains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr Majiya wanted to create a character that reflected student ambition and resilience while working across sporting events, student activities and digital platforms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His original concept featured thick limbs, visible mechanical joints, a chest screen and chunky high-top sneakers. Although these elements communicated strength and technology, he felt the character was too heavy.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

He refined its proportions, removed exposed wiring and a mechanical tail, and replaced the chest screen with a VUT-branded jersey. The result was a taller, more athletic character that balanced technological features with a stronger connection to student life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe development process taught me to remove elements when they no longer serve the main idea,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A futuristic visor, digital face and headphones reinforce the technology theme, while gold chevron details suggest energy and forward motion. Beneath these visual features lies a human story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI wanted the character to represent young dreamers who keep going after setbacks,\u201d Mr Majiya says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He also wanted the mascot to reflect the diversity of the VUT community, bringing students from different backgrounds and disciplines together through a shared institutional identity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

VUT\u2019s 60th anniversary and Strategy 2033+ helped shape his thinking. He sees a connection between the mascot\u2019s evolution and the University\u2019s own transformation, with both journeys reflecting the need to adapt while retaining a recognisable identity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe early concept was more mechanical and industrial. As the design developed, the character became more streamlined, digital and athletic,\u201d he explains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of his greatest challenges was deciding what to remove. The experience taught him that effective design depends on purpose and clarity as much as visual appeal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI learned to think beyond how a design looks and focus on how people will understand and use it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If selected, Mr Majiya hopes the mascot will grow alongside future generations of students, becoming a familiar presence throughout university life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving the mascot become part of VUT\u2019s identity would mean contributing to the University through my discipline,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

VUT wishes Mr Majiya the best of luck as the University community looks forward to the announcement of the winning mascot design.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

“VUT student Wandile Majiya shares how his mascot design, one of three finalists, captures student resilience, innovation and the University\u2019s […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":44905,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[47,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-44845","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-latest-news-vaal-university-of-technology","category-uncategorized"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t