The Social Justice and Transformation Department at the Vaal University of Technology (VUT) recently launched its Gender Banner in Auditorium 100, a symbolic expression of the institution’s commitment to promoting gender equality and transformation.
The banner emanates from an analysis of 17 institutional committees that examined the gender composition of powerful decision-making structures across the university.
During his address, George Mvalo, Director of the Social Justice and Transformation Unit, underscored the pivotal function of institutional committees in shaping transformation and advancing social justice.
“Institutional committees play critical roles, ranging from strategy implementation, decision making, and allocation of opportunities and responsibilities,” he said.
Mvalo noted that the examination of the 17 committees shows that men still occupy the majority of leadership roles, with women underrepresented in key decision-making spaces.
He highlighted the Council Exco as an example: in 2018, only two women served among nine members, yet by 2024 or 2025, it had achieved gender parity with five men and five women.
This shift reflects meaningful movement towards gender equity. The Gender Banner reveals that, despite these advances, substantial efforts are still required.
The analysis calls for a deeper interrogation of power relations and emphasises the urgency of confronting dominant hegemonic structures within the university.
The event reaffirmed the importance of operating within a liberatory framework that promotes transformation and advances decolonisation. The Gender Banner forms part of VUT’s wider institutional work to entrench social justice and transformation, aligning with its core values of dignity, equity, equality, integrity, respect, and diversity.
It is also connected to the university’s EE Policy and Strategy 2033+, which strengthens VUT’s commitment to diversity and inclusion. The launch of the Gender Banner marks a significant stride towards cultivating gender equality and transformation within the Vaal University of Technology.
