A historic "Scholar-Executive" and the first female, Umlazi-born leader in MUT's 45-year history, driving a transformative "Business Unusual" turnaround strategy.
Professor Sibiya’s appointment is a landmark event. Her journey from Umlazi Township to the highest office at MUT embodies resilience and deep community connection. As a leader with a unique "insider-outsider" perspective, she combines authentic local credibility with the objective, strategic experience gained from her senior leadership roles at DUT.
← Back to All SpeakersProfessor Sibiya’s appointment as Vice-Chancellor and Principal in August 2024 marked a profoundly historic milestone for Mangosuthu University of Technology. In its 45-year history, she is the first woman and the first leader from the community of Umlazi to helm the institution. As a leader who proudly states she was "born, bred, and buttered" in Umlazi, she brings an unparalleled and authentic connection between the university and the community it is destined to serve.
She leads with a transformative 'Business Unusual' approach, underpinned by her strategic EXCEL framework (Elevating Academic Excellence, X-Factor Innovation, Community Development, Engagement, and Leadership). This vision is designed to steer MUT toward enhanced financial sustainability, global competitiveness, and profound socio-economic development, all while being deeply rooted in the guiding philosophy of ubuntu.
As an NRF C2-rated scientist, Professor Sibiya is an established researcher with a formidable scholarly footprint, evidenced by over 140 published articles, books, and book chapters. Yet, her greatest impact may lie in her unwavering commitment to building the next generation of academics. This is powerfully demonstrated by her supervision of an incredible 63 Master’s and 34 PhD students to completion—a testament to her dedication to fostering academic excellence in others.
This legacy of mentorship is personified in scholars like Dr. Thandokuhle Khoza, whom she guided to become a respected NRF-rated researcher, showcasing her unique ability to translate her own success into a platform for empowering others.
Professor Sibiya’s academic journey began at the University of Zululand and culminated in a Doctor of Technology in Nursing. Her career is a story of dedicated progression within MUT itself. Having joined as a researcher, she ascended through the ranks to executive management, serving as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research, Innovation, and Engagement—a role in which she earned the National EDHE Rising Star DVC Award in 2023—before assuming the university's highest office. This deep institutional knowledge provides her with a unique and granular understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing the university she now leads.