The Betrayal of Sekhukhune’s University Dream

Earlier this year, I penned what I regard as a damning open letter to Prof Tinyiko Maluleke, Vice-Chancellor of the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT). In that letter, I questioned the ethical conduct of senior leaders at the university, with Prof Maluleke himself at the centre of the controversy.

I did not write lightly. My convictions are based on direct involvement and first-hand knowledge. I personally participated in the entire process of establishing the proposed University of Agriculture and Mining in Sekhukhune — from the initial concept development, the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), to the feasibility study. I therefore speak with both authority and deep disappointment when I say the people of Sekhukhune have been robbed of a project meant for them.

What alarms me most is not only the conduct of Prof Maluleke, but also the silence of the Limpopo Provincial Government. Both the current Premier, Hon. Dr Phophi Ramathuba, and her predecessor, Hon. Stanley Mathabatha, were fully aware of the 2020 announcement and the MOU signed by the provincial government, the Bapedi Kingdom, and TUT to support the establishment of a university campus in Sekhukhune. Yet, nothing has been done to protect this commitment.

Sekhukhune is no ordinary district. With more than 35 operational mines, it is the second richest mineral-producing region in South Africa after North West. Its fertile lands — from Groblersdal to Marble Hall — are major contributors to the nation’s food supply and exports. This unique combination of mineral wealth and agricultural potential makes Sekhukhune the ideal location for a University of Agriculture and Mining.

Such an institution was never just about higher education. It was a transformational vision — a chance to equip young people with skills to harness local resources, stimulate industrialisation, and lift communities out of poverty. The late King Thulare Victor Thulare III of the Bapedi Nation understood this clearly. He threw his full support behind the project, recognising that education is the true path to lasting development.

Yet today, that vision has been derailed. A once-promising future for Sekhukhune’s youth has been sacrificed at the altar of corruption, mismanagement, and political convenience. While Prof Maluleke may stand at the centre of this betrayal, the blame cannot rest on his shoulders alone. Those in government — entrusted with the responsibility to safeguard and transform our communities — must also account for their silence and inaction.

For me, this struggle is not abstract—it is personal. I was born and raised in Sekhukhune. I know poverty not as a theory, but as a lived experience. In the 1980s, under apartheid, I witnessed my brothers and sisters being beaten before my eyes. From that moment, I vowed to dedicate my life to the transformation agenda. That vow guided me as an activist, as a leader in education, and as a special advisor to King Thulare III.

As for Prof Maluleke, time will tell. The truth will eventually emerge, and it will set us all free. But for now, he has shown himself to be a dishonest and selfish leader, unfit to contribute meaningfully to the National Dialogue or the moral leadership South Africa so urgently needs.

Let me be clear: our fight is not against the people of Giyani or any other community. They are our brothers and sisters. We support development across Limpopo and the nation. But we reject the actions of corrupt, unethical leaders without morals or shame — leaders who divide communities for personal gain.

We must not allow such divisive tactics to succeed. Instead, we must stand united and continue to fight for what belongs to the people of Sekhukhune. The dream of a University of Agriculture and Mining remains alive in our hearts, and we will not rest until it is realised.

William Seripele Maphutha is the former Special Advisor to the late King Thulare Victor Thulare III of the Bapedi Nation, Head of Education and Transformation for the Bapedi Kingdom, and an activist. He is writing in his personal capacity