Former TCE Alumni visit their alma mater in celebration of 40 year legacy

Memories of student life, enduring friendships and the struggle for freedom came alive at the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) Soshanguve North Campus Hall on 15 August 2026, when former students, lecturers and staff of the Transvaal College of Education (TCE) reunited at their former campus.

Hosted by TUT’s Faculty of Humanities in collaboration with the Alumni Relations Office and Corporate Affairs and Marketing, the 40th anniversary homecoming reunion celebrated TCE’s contribution to teacher education and the communities shaped by its graduates.

TCE was a teacher-training institution that played a significant role in laying the foundation for what is now TUT’s School of Education. The school still operates on the same campus where generations of former students’ journeys as educators started.

Alumni from various walks of life, including Dr Lucky Mathebula, Public Policy Analyst and Founder of the Thinc Foundation, a South African non-profit organisation focused on public policy research, analysis and engagement, and Bonakele Majuba, MEC for Finance in Mpumalanga, attended the reunion alongside stakeholders such as the Soshanguve Heritage Society.

According to Katlho Tsotetsi of the TCE Committee, the reunion was designed to preserve TCE’s legacy by reconnecting alumni and former staff members, while celebrating the lasting relationships formed at the institution. Those bonds were reflected through songs, prayers and personal memories of how students supported one another during apartheid and other challenging periods.

Prof Mashupye Maserumule, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Humanities, described these alumni as important architects in the institution’s history.

“There is no society without teachers,” he said, emphasising that every professional first passes through the hands of a teacher.

Dr Jeanette Ramollo, Head of the School of Education, highlighted the importance of bringing different generations of the TCE community together to reconnect, reflect on the institution’s history and celebrate its contribution to teacher education.

Looking beyond nostalgia, the reunion also challenged alumni to consider how they can continue contributing to education and supporting future generations.

Guest speaker, Father Smangaliso Mkhatshwa, called on alumni to support schools, serve on school governing bodies and play an active role in addressing educational inequalities.

Dr Mathebula paid tribute to the former TCE lecturers who played a meaningful role in shaping the lives and careers of their students. Reflecting on the three years he spent under their guidance, he said the knowledge, discipline and values he acquired during that period contributed significantly to the achievements of many former students.

He said the reunion was an opportunity to reminisce about the “good old days”, as well as a chance to acknowledge and thank those who helped shape their lives.

Khanyiso Sonti, Chairperson of the Faculty of Humanities Alumni Chapter, invited former TCE students to become part of the chapter and contribute to its fundraising and legacy projects. He highlighted the importance of honouring TCE’s legacy while playing an active role in advancing TUT’s future.

More than a celebration of four decades of shared memories, the reunion reaffirmed the enduring connection between TCE alumni and Tshwane University of Technology. It awakened a renewed commitment among former students to preserve their shared legacy while using their knowledge, experience and professional networks to empower current students and help shape the future of education.