Graduates from TUT’s Women Leaders Programme receive certificates

A special certification ceremony was recently held to acknowledge and celebrate 23 exceptional TUT women who successfully completed the 2025 Women Leaders Programme.

Prof Ben van Wyk, DVC: Teaching, Learning and Technology, welcoming guests at the Women Leaders Programme certification ceremony. Opening and welcoming guests, Prof Ben van Wyk, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Teaching, Learning and Technology, said the theme of the event, From Voice to Responsibility: Women leading with courage and conscience, resonates with TUT’s Strategic Plan 2026 to 2030 – positioning the institution as an Entrepreneurial University of Technology shaping the future.

“Women leaders strengthen ethical leadership by promoting transparency, accountability and careful consideration about how decisions affect people. Programmes such as the Women Leaders Programme, strengthen leadership capacity at TUT by equipping women leaders with the confidence, insight and influence needed to contribute to the future of this University, while also helping to build inclusive cultures where women’s leadership can flourish,” said Prof Van Wyk.

“As an Engineer, I have always appreciated systems that work well; and investing in women leadership is one of the most reliable systems for institutional success,” he added.

Dr Tessie Herbst, Women Leaders Programme Manager, said the event was both a celebration and a reunion; a moment to acknowledge the journey of the 2025 graduates, to reconnect with alumni and welcome the new cohort who will be starting the programme.

Dr Tessie Herbst, Women Leaders Programme Manager, outlining the purpose of the programme. “The theme reminds us that leadership begins the moment you find your voice but matures when you discover how to use that voice in the service of others,” she said.

Dr Herbst said the programme was established to support the development of women's leadership in the University, not only by building leadership skills but also creating a space where women can grow in confidence, courage and authenticity.

In her keynote address, Dr Yvonne Chaka Chaka, a renowned South African singer, songwriter, entrepreneur, humanitarian and a recipient of an honorary doctorate from TUT, said the event was not just a celebration for TUT women, but a declaration that women will lead and that they will do so with courage and conscience.

Dr Yvonne Chaka Chaka, who delivered the keynote address. “Through my life experiences, I have learned that leadership is not just about positions, but it is about purpose. Courage is not the absence of fear, but standing up and challenging systems that were designed without women in mind. Courage alone is not enough, women must lead with conscience, because leading with conscience builds nations, uplift communities and opens doors for others,” said Dr Chaka Chaka.

She concluded by saying women need to support and lift one another up, while opening doors for one another.

Four 2025 alumni; Zama Zikhali; Raeesa Battey; Dr Harija Mashego; and Dr Lisa Repsold, also shared insightful transformation stories and reflections of their journey throughout the programme.