VUT Council chairperson: Ms Refilwe Buthelezi
This Council will be responsible for a number of tasks but the most significant of these roles will be to protect the institutional autonomy and the academic freedom of its employees while upholding public accountability and deliberate on the nature, roles and participation of all stakeholders in re-constructing the new VUT. Moreover, the Council will be responsible to monitor the realisation of the strategic plan of the institution, monitor financial and non-financial performance measures related to the University’s strategic objectives, sustaining its reputation, financial health, institutional climate and the well-being of its employees and students.
Ms Buthelezi and Professor Morgan will Morgan will steer the ship and will be supported by fellow Council members who possess the knowledge, skills, expertise and represent different sectors including education, business, finances, law, marketing, information technology and human resources. The composition of the Council is in line with the VUT institutional statute and section 27 (4) of the Higher Education Act (101 of 1997).
The VUT community welcomes the new members of Council and looks forward to working together to assist the University in promoting its new brand essence and repositioning it as a University of Technology that strives for academic excellence. Below are the brief profiles of the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson who are at the helm of the governance structure of the institution:
Deputy chairperson: Professor Nicholas Morgan
1.1 Ms Refilwe Buthelezi, chair of council
Ms Refilwe Buthelezi is an experienced non-executive director with a demonstrated history of working in the power and water sectors. She has exceptional skills in budgeting, enterprise risk management, process control, power plants, and asset management, strategy, corporate governance and financial resource management, innovation, and digital technology, change and configuration management. She is an asset management professional with a Master of Engineering (MEng) focused on Engineering Management from the University of Johannesburg (UJ) and a Master’s in Business Leadership (MBL) from the University of South Africa (UNISA).
Ms Buthelezi was awarded the Keith Plowden Young Achiever’s Award for the most outstanding young achiever of 2013 in the field of electrical/electronic engineering. This award is for engineers 35 years or younger who have displayed the spirit of achievement, creativity and leadership coupled with innovative and entrepreneurial action. This award follows from her nomination as one of the “Top 5 Most Promising Women in Engineering” by the University of Johannesburg in 2012.
Ms Buthelezi is currently a member of the following professional bodies: the South African Institute of Electrical Engineers (SAIEE), African Utility Technology Council (AUTC), Institute of Directors South Africa (IoDSA) and Vice President of the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA). VUT prides itself on the appointment of Ms Buthelezi as the Chair of Council.
1.2 Professor Nicholas Morgan, deputy chair of council
Prof. Nicholas Morgan has a deep-rooted background in higher education and a specialist in turnaround strategies including viability assessment, consolidations, restructuring and institutional reviews. He has experience in and sound knowledge of transformation advocacy and management; change management; institutional leadership including the statutory and policy environment; the higher education legal and policy environment as well as the student and labour sectors and quality assurance. His achievements reflect his understanding of key political, social, economic and human rights issues; performance management and leadership development; project management; evaluation and impact assessment including innovation and technology; and curriculum development.
Professor Morgan holds a Master of Science (Industrial and Labour Relations) from Cornell University (USA) and a Masters in Business Administration (MBA (Comparative Analysis of Labour Codes) from Stellenbosch University’s Graduate School of Business. His roles have included dean of faculty; vice-principal academic; deputy vice-chancellor: operations; and vice-chancellor at various institutions of higher learning including technikons and universities of technology. He served as both the administrator and vice-chancellor of the University of Transkei and holds awards and recognitions by various organisations and universities.
With a solid foundation laid for good governance through our council, we are confident that Prof. Maggi Linington as acting vice-chancellor and principal and her team, will make significant progress in the reconstruction of a new VUT fit for its purpose.
3 #ChangeVUT - a vehicle for change
In a deliberate effort to align ourselves with our vision we have unveiled the new VUT Brand, which signals a distinct break from the past towards a new path of excellence in teaching and learning, research, innovation and community engagement. Inspiring thought. Shaping talent.
