by Reatlegile Ratlagane
Andile Mjongwana, Academic Manager of the Faculty of Economics and Finance at Tshwane University of Technology’s Mbombela Campus, is committed to strengthening academic support and student success. Currently also pursuing a PhD in Accounting, he plays a key role in curriculum development and qualification coordination for the Diploma in Accountancy with a focus on Management Accounting.
Mjongwana is deeply invested in building partnerships between the Faculty and key stakeholders in Mpumalanga. These include the Accounting Innovation Conference, Internal Auditing Indaba, Siyakhula Internal Auditing Programme, Nelson Global, MEGA (Mpumalanga Economic Growth Agency) and Spark to Star. These collaborations have created employment and internship opportunities, funded conferences for students and staff and supported community engagement events such as career expos.
“My main focus is on improving academic support structures to help students succeed,” said Mjongwana. “I’m working to strengthen our collaboration with the Chartered Governance Institute of Southern Africa (CGISA), which provides voluntary tutoring, and I’m also building stronger ties between industry and academia to ensure our qualifications remain relevant and our students are employable.”
He was also involved in organising the NextGen Careers Expo, which took place on 18 July 2025 in Mangweni, Mpumalanga - another initiative that connects students with career opportunities.
Rooted in both his academic and spiritual beliefs, Mjongwana draws inspiration from the Bible and regularly motivates students to rise above their circumstances through discipline and determination.
“Studying is what defines a student,” he explained. “If you spend most of your time on social media or watching TV, then you’re not truly a student – you are a social media personality or a TV viewer. Like in accounting, if something doesn’t meet the definition of an asset, it cannot be classified as one.”
Driven by a passion for education and student development, Mjongwana continues to work towards creating a supportive and inspiring learning environment for both students and staff at the Mbombela Campus.
Andile Mjongwana, Academic Manager of the Faculty of Economics and Finance at TUT's Mbombela Campus.