UKZN 's College of Law and Management Studies

19/06/2026

2ND SEMESTER POSTRADUATE APPLICATIONS OPEN

Are you considering postgraduate studies with your future in mind? Then pursue postgraduate studies at UKZN's College of Law and Management Studies. Limited spaces are available in the following postgraduate programmes:

HONOURS PROGRAMMES:
- Administration
- Human Resources Management
- Marketing and Supply Chain Management

POSTGRADUATE DIPLOMA PROGRAMMES:
- Finance, Banking and Investment Management
- Financial Planning
- Human Resources Management
- Management
- Marketing and Supply Chain Management

MASTERS PROGRAMMES (Coursework only):
- Economics
- Management

Closing date for applications: 26 June
Registration dates: 13 to 31 July
2nd semester starts: 20 July

Apply online now: https://ww1.clms.ukzn.ac.za/second-semester-applications/

04/06/2026

POSTGRADUATE OPEN DAYS

Are you ready for the first or next step in your postgraduate studies journey?
Then join us at the University of KwaZulu-Natal's College of Law and Management Studies Postgraduate Open Days 2026 where you will learn more about our diverse range of Postgraduate Diplomas, Master's and Doctoral programmes offered through the Graduate School of Business and Leadership, as well as the disciplines of Accounting, Economics, Finance, Law and Management, and the Unit of Maritime Law and Maritime Studies.

PIETERMARITZBURG OPEN DAY
Date: Tuesday, 30 June 2026
Time: 15h00 – 19h30
Venue: Lawn in front of the Commerce and Law Buildings, Golf Road Campus, Pietermaritzburg

DURBAN OPEN DAY
Date: Thursday, 2 July 2026
Time: 15h00 – 19h30
Venue: Aha Gateway Hotel, Corner Centenary Boulevard and Twilight Drive, Umhlanga Ridge

For more information and to book your seat visit our website: https://ww1.clms.ukzn.ac.za/postgraduate-open-day/

See you there!

Our College is one of the four College’s at UKZN. Our Law degree is offered at Howard College Campus and the Pietermaritzburg Campus. Our Management degrees are offered at the Westville Campus and Pietermaritzburg Campus.

26/05/2026

UKZN LAW ACADEMIC FINALIST IN MR SOUTH AFRICA 2026

Law Lecture Mr Thato Lentsoe is part of the top 34 finalists in the Mister South Africa 2026 competition. The annual pageantry competition searches the nation for the next deserving titleholder to serve as a positive male figure and role model to younger generations. The finalists are provided coaching, mentoring and amazing networking opportunities to further their cause and career. If crowned Mr. South Africa 2026, Lentsoe will use his voice to impact change within employment law, drug testing systems, advancement of transformative constitutionalism, and to generally contribute to constitutional democracy.

To vote for Thato Lentsoe visit: https://tinyurl.com/d2zb3tvr

24/05/2026

Communiqué from the Office of the Registrar:

Change of venues for Commerce Building examinations on the Pietermaritzburg Campus.

13/05/2026

Accounting Postgrad Top Achievers Graduate with Distinction 🎓

In the Accounting academic field, the Postgraduate Diploma in Accounting (PGDA) is widely recognised as one of the most demanding and rigorous qualifications.

For Ms Tayla Pearce and Ms Natasha Robinson, graduating with distinction in this programme marks a significant academic achievement and a continuation of their outstanding academic journey.

Both graduates previously completed their Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting degrees summa cm laude, further demonstrating their consistency, discipline, and academic excellence.

We celebrate this remarkable milestone and wish them continued success in their professional journeys. 👏🏾

13/05/2026

Master’s Degree for Chartered Accountant and School of Commerce Academic 🎓

Auditing lecturer, Mr Lungani Gcwensa CA(SA), has graduated with a Master of Accountancy degree after exploring the intersection of financial performance and sustainability in corporate practice.

His study, titled: ‘South African Firms’ Attitude to Carbon Emissions and Corporate Financial Performance’, contributes to the growing field of sustainability accounting in South Africa, focusing on JSE-listed industrial, metal, and mining companies.

Supervised by Professor Mabutho Sibanda, the research examines the relationship between environmental performance and financial outcomes, offering valuable insights into how sustainability practices influence both accounting results and market valuation.

Beyond academia, the study underscores the importance of corporate environmental responsibility, particularly for communities affected by mining and industrial activity, while advancing long-term sustainability thinking.

We celebrate Mr Gcwensa’s achievement and his contribution to knowledge at the intersection of accounting, sustainability, and corporate governance.

13/05/2026

Chief Harbour Master at Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA), Captain Rufus Lekala graduated with a Master of Commerce in Maritime Studies degree after returning to the University of KwaZulu-Natal UKZN) after four years.
Lekala’s career began from humble beginnings as a taxi driver in Mamelodi, Pretoria. He later joined Transnet, serving as a Tug Master in the Port of Cape Town before becoming a Marine Pilot in the Port of Saldanha Bay.
Lekala’s dissertation, titled: ‘Assessing the Impact of Increased Container Vessel Size for Durban Container Terminal’, was supervised by UKZN maritime economist, Dr Sanele Gumede, and maritime industry expert, Dr Siphiwe Mthembu.
His research is especially timely as the Port of Durban was recently ranked among the lowest-performing ports in the international Container Port Performance Index, despite being the busiest container port in the southern hemisphere. The study examined whether the port’s infrastructure, equipment and operational systems are adequately prepared to efficiently handle larger vessels.
The research revealed that while the Durban Container Terminal has made progress in accommodating larger ships, challenges remain in berth productivity, yard capacity, equipment availability and landside coordination. The study recommends targeted infrastructure upgrades, improved planning and scheduling systems, enhanced collaboration among port stakeholders and continued investment in skills development to ensure the terminal remains competitive and resilient.
Lekala’s passion for Maritime Studies is driven by the critical role the maritime sector plays in growing South Africa’s economy, trade and regional integration.

Halala Captain Lekala, continue inspiring Greatness!

13/05/2026

“As a woman living with a disability, I am driven by the need to challenge limitations and break barriers,” said Ms Nandipha Sothiya (39), who is blind and graduated with a Postgraduate Diploma in Human Resource Management.

Her achievement that also shines a light on the structural barriers that students with disabilities continue to face in accessing Higher Education.

Born blind, Sothiya completed the qualification while working as an educator and raising three young children aged ten, seven and four. She situates her achievement within a broader call for institutions and workplaces to do more to create the conditions in which persons with disabilities can thrive.

“I wanted to prove to myself, my children and others in similar situations that it is possible to achieve goals regardless of challenges faced. Completing this qualification gave me a renewed sense of confidence and self-belief.”
Halala Ms Sothiya! Continue to inspire Greatness!

13/05/2026

South African politician and current Chairperson of the Finance Portfolio Committee in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature Dr Andiswa Mosai graduated with a PhD in Management.
Mosai’s thesis, titled: ‘Enhancing Effective Corporate Governance in Local Government: A Case of Sedibeng District, Gauteng Province, South Africa’, was supervised by Public Governance expert Professor Purshottama Reddy and Management specialist Professor Emmanuel Mutambara.
Mosai’s study explored ways to strengthen corporate governance within South Africa’s local government sphere, using the Sedibeng District Municipality as a case study.
The findings revealed a disconnect between governance policies and their actual implementation as well as political interference in administrative processes, which undermines decision-making and accountability. The study also identified ineffective performance management systems, inadequate skills and institutional capacity, lack of ethical leadership, financial mismanagement, and poor planning as major contributors to service delivery backlogs and weak municipal performance.