Dr Kelebogile Choice Makhetha

Dr Kelebogile Choice Makhetha 
Executive Director in the Office of the Vice Chancellor and Principal
Central University of Technology, Free State

Dr Kelebogile Choice Makhetha obtained her Ph. D in Political Science in 2003, at the University of the Free State, in the field of Elections and Electoral Systems – South Africa’s perspective, funded by the Mellon Foundation. She was a Lecturer in Political Sciences (1999-2000) and on part-time basis while Serving as Deputy Dean of Student Affairs (2005). She served as a Political Analyst during national and provincial, as well as local government elections in South Africa (1999 – 2016). Supervised Master’s research work while serving as the Special Assisted to the Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Free State (2010).

Dr. Makhetha served as the Acting Vice Rector External Relations in 2011 and eventually appointed in the role fully in 2012. The role expanded to become the Vice Rector Student Affairs and External Relations, with a scope covering Student Affairs, Internationalisation, Community Engagement, and Inter-Campus Relations within a matrix system of a multi-campus environment, until May 2016. 

She served as the Senior Director Student Affairs at Stellenbosch University (1 August 2019 – 31 October 2024). She was also a member of the South African Association of Senior Student Affairs Practitioners (SAASSAP) for many years and served as the President for four years (2008 – 2012). She has over 20 years of work experience within the public Higher Education sector in South Africa and 17 years of these were, at senior and executive levels. 

Dr. Makhetha is a member of the Institutional Audit Committee (IAC) of the Higher Education Quality Committee (HEQC), reporting to the Council on Higher Education (CHE) since February 2020 – February 2025, and re-appointment to serve a second term as from 26 February 2025 – 25 February 2030.

She is currently the Executive Director in the Office of the Vice Chancellor and Principal, at the Central University of Technology, Free State (CUT), as from 1 November 2024 to date. She previously served as the Transformation Advisor in the Office of the Vice Chancellor and Principal, at the same university  (January 2018 - July 2019).

PUBLISHED A BOOK: 
“Owning the Scars and the Stars of my Journey: Leading and Driving Transformation at previously Afrikaans Universities from Free State - Stellenbosch”. Durban, Reach Publishers (publication confirmed on 08 April 2025 ISBN, 978-1-77636-903-4).

Her expertise in Student Affairs, Transformation and Executive Leadership, continues to strengthen her focus on Student Experience within Higher Education in South Africa. She believes in putting the student at the center because every student counts. She also believes in leading and serving from anywhere she is, always empowering others to do the same, with great humility!