The Durban University of Technology (DUT) Department of Student Governance and Development will be hosting the DUT Way Lekgotla. The DUT Way Lekgotla will be held at the DUT Mansfield Hall on 29 July 2023.

This will not be the first time that the DUT Way Lekgotla will be hosted, the first DUT Way Lekgotla was in August 2022, and this will be their fourth. The DUT Way Lekgotla offers the department an opportunity to engage with student leaders in all sectors, communicate directly with senior members of staff where they can freely express their views, frustrations, hopes and concerns for the university.

Masiza Ngculu gave a brief history of the DUT Way Lekgotla, where he quoted from an explanatory note from the first Lekgotla last year: “The Department of Student Governance and Development is rolling out an annual survey of student’s sentiment towards the establishment of institutional culture steeped in the DUT Way. Last year, 2022 was a baseline year. We have to evaluate where we stand and simultaneously charter the road that will take us where we wish to be. To kick off the project, the Department congregates various sectors of student leadership in a Lekgotla way.”

Ngculu explained further that the DUT Way Lekgotla serves as a proactive communication system.

“It has been a success because it gives students an opportunity to engage the university about their concerns so that they do not have to escalate into protest action. It gives the university an opportunity to share the plans of the university with student leaders. The students are also given an opportunity to give their opinions on the plans shared,” he replied.

The DUT Way Lekgotla will start with responses to the issues that were raised in the last Lekgotla, thus living out DUT’s values of transparency and accountability.

“We shall also engage with students so that we can pick up on any emerging concerns from the side of student leadership,” he said.

The theme for DUT Way Lekgotla for this year is about socialising the ‘Living Values Framework’ among the student leaders.

Pictured: DUT colleagues with the SRC and students at last year’s DUT Way Lekgotla.

Sibahle Ngcobo