Achievements of former Student Assistants and Interns: UNIVEN ICT Department Builds the Next Generation of ICT Leaders

The University of Venda (UNIVEN)’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Department is committed to cultivating the next generation of technology professionals through a structured programme of student assistantships and internships. By drawing on third-year and postgraduate students from Computer Science and Business Information Systems, and by partnering with leading industry service providers to host externally placed interns, the department provides participants with the practical exposure and professional skills that modern employers demand.

We are proud to recognise the outstanding individuals who have passed through this programme. Their achievements stand as a testament to the transformative value of industry-aligned education and serve as an enduring example of excellence in information and communication technology.

Tshepo Kapa’s career trajectory illustrates how a structured institutional foundation can propel a graduate into a highly specialised fi eld. Holding a BCom in Business Information Systems from the University of Venda, Tshepo built a rigorous academic base in information systems, information security, systems analysis, and professional ethics.

During his tenure in the ICT Department, Tshepo provided end-user support, contributed to network and endpoint security operations, and assisted with broader cybersecurity functions. This hands-on exposure proved instrumental in sharpening his technical acumen, analytical thinking, and problem-solving capabilities, competencies that would defi ne the next stage of his career.

Tshepo currently serves as a Junior Security Analyst at Adapt IT Education, where he is actively engaged in securing both cloud and on-premises environments. His portfolio of responsibilities encompasses vulnerability management, ethical hacking, patch management, and security monitoring, as well as supporting governance, risk, and compliance initiatives aligned with internationally recognised frameworks, including ISO 27001, the NIST Cybersecurity Framework, and the CIS Controls.

Akonaho Todani’s story is one of compounding opportunity, each experience opening a door to the next. During her fi nal year of study, she was selected to serve as a Student Assistant in the ICT Department’s Business Systems Section, a placement made possible through a strategic partnership between the University and Rindis Investment.
In this capacity, Akonaho worked as an intern developer, acquiring practical experience with Java and Angular while supporting senior software analysts and developers. The mentorship she received not only deepened her technical skills but also cultivated the professional confi dence essential to thriving in the industry.

Her growing competence was underscored by a notable competitive achievement: she placed second in the UNIVEN and CSIR CyberSecureTech Hackathon, a result that signifi cantly bolstered her professional profi le. During a joint training session between the University and Adapt IT, she came to the attention of the Head of Education, who subsequently off ered her a YES Graduate position. In that role, she undertook the migration of a legacy application to a modern technology stack, a project that further consolidated the skills she had developed during her internship.
Following her time at Adapt IT, Akonaho advanced to the Evergreen IT Graduate Programme at Nedbank, where she continues to build on each preceding milestone of her journey.

Thato Kekana’s path into technology began at the University of Venda, where she pursued a Bcom in Business Information Systems. In her fi nal year, she joined the ICT Department as a Networking Student Assistant, an experience that provided her fi rst meaningful encounter with professional IT environments.
What distinguished Thato’s trajectory was her intellectual curiosity. While assisting with networking tasks, she developed an interest in server infrastructure and the mechanisms that underpin application access and maintenance. Recognising this potential, a senior server engineer encouraged her to explore cloud computing and to resist limiting herself to conventional data centre environments. That counsel proved to be a turning point.

Thato subsequently enrolled in the GirlsCode programme, through which she earned an AWS Cloud Practitioner certifi cation voucher and successfully completed the examination. Shortly after concluding her contract with the University, she joined the Cloud Engineer Graduate Programme at Vaxowave, gaining practical experience in Linux environments and obtaining her LPIC-1 certifi cation. As part of this programme, she was deployed to Old Mutual, where she gained exposure to enterprise-scale systems with a focus on system monitoring, service availability, and cloud cost optimisation.
In her current role, Thato supports AWS cloud environments and Kubernetes-based workloads, ensuring the stability and availability of critical applications. Her responsibilities include monitoring infrastructure, supporting Kubernetes clusters, troubleshooting operational issues, and assisting with cloud resource management, work that has positioned her at the forefront of cloud-native technology.

Ronewa Muthivhi’s journey in ICT is defi ned by perseverance, purpose, and a determination to represent his institution on the world stage. As a Student Assistant in the ICT Department, Ronewa provided comprehensive technical support across campus, assisting in computer laboratories, confi guring workstations, resolving user and device issues, and supporting students and staff during practical academic sessions. The professional standards he encountered in this environment, emphasising accountability, reliability, and collaborative service delivery, strengthened his confi dence and prepared him for broader opportunities within the technology sector.

A particularly formative milestone was his participation in the Huawei ICT Competition (Innovation Track), made possible through departmental support and mentorship. Ronewa’s team progressed through successive stages of the competition, ultimately qualifying for the global fi nals held in Guangzhou, China, where they competed against some of the most talented student innovators from around the world.
Ronewa currently works as a Software Developer at Techno Globe Centre SA, applying competencies cultivated during his time at the University of Venda and refi ned through the ICT Student Assistant Programme. Beyond his formal employment, he remains committed to community-oriented innovation, developing software solutions that address everyday challenges faced by those around him.

Phodzo Raphasha’s entry into information and communication technology began in 2017, when she enrolled for a BSc in Computer Science and Information Systems at the University of Venda, graduating in 2021. While her academic preparation provided a strong theoretical foundation, it was through practical engagement that her professional identity truly took shape.
Between 2022 and 2024, Phodzo served as an Intern within the University’s ICT Department, a role that facilitated her transition from theory to practice. During this period, she accumulated hands-on experience in technical support, system maintenance, and user assistance, competencies that formed the bedrock of her subsequent career development.

Driven by a commitment to continuous growth, Phodzo progressed to Software AG, where she was introduced to enterprise technologies including Natural and Adabas. This exposure deepened her understanding of back-end systems and strengthened her capacity to operate within complex, real-world business environments.
Phodzo currently serves as a Junior Software Developer at the South African Revenue Service (SARS), where she contributes to systems that underpin critical national functions. Each stage of her professional journey has played an integral role in shaping her into a confi dent, capable, and purpose-driven technology professional.

UNIVEN’s Director of ICT, Mr Sam Khoza expressed that the achievements documented above are not isolated outcomes, they are the natural result of an intentional, structured approach to preparing graduates for the demands of an evolving technology landscape. He highlighted that, through the ICT Student Assistantship and Internship Programme, UNIVEN continues to bridge the gap between academic preparation and professional practice, producing graduates who are not only technically profi cient but also resilient, adaptable, and ready to contribute meaningfully to South Africa’s digital future.

Issued by:
Department of Marketing, Branding & Communication
University of Venda
Tel: 082 868 2218 / 082 868 1811