UCT’s CMD celebrates nine MACE Excellence Awards

The creativity, strategic insight and unwavering commitment of the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) marketing and communications practitioners has once again earned national recognition, with the institution walking away with nine accolades at the 2025 MACE Excellence Awards.

The annual awards, hosted by Marketing, Advancement and Communication in Education (MACE), celebrate outstanding achievements in communication and marketing within the higher education sector. UCT’s Communication and Marketing Department (CMD) secured one silver and eight bronze medals this year – matching its impressive 2024 performance and reinforcing the team’s reputation as one of the leading communications units in the sector.

CMD’s executive director, Libo Msenga-Bam, described the achievement as a powerful affirmation of the team’s talent and dedication.

“These accolades are a testament to the passion, creativity and unwavering commitment CMD colleagues bring to our work every day.”

“Winning nine awards is a very commendable achievement and a proud moment for everyone at CMD and across UCT,” she said. “These accolades are a testament to the passion, creativity and unwavering commitment CMD colleagues bring to our work every day. The team puts in the hours, the heart and the innovation – and it shows. Although awards can never truly capture the extent of the excellence within CMD, this moment offers an opportunity to note how the team continually raises the bar and represents the university with such distinction.”

Storytelling with impact

Much of this year’s success came from CMD’s fast-growing videography and photography portfolio, which continues to spotlight powerful human-centred stories from across the university.

Videographer BK Ntsoko, who contributed to four of the six winning entries in the videography category – including the silver medal for “Carrying the torch: Luhlanganiso Majebe keeps Uyinene Mrwetyana’s memory alive” – believes the emotional resonance of the stories made them stand out.

“What matters most is the story and how it emphasises the lengths to which the institution goes to support its students.”

“What I imagine made my entries stand out was the impact that came with the stories told,” he said. “What I’m noticing in all four winning entries is the social impact they carry. We aim for the highest level of production, but what matters most is the story and how it emphasises the lengths to which the institution goes to support its students. The message is always clear: at UCT, there is support to help people unleash their full human potential.”

In the photography category, senior photographer, Lerato Maduna’s images of the Unxano theatre performance earned a bronze medal for their visual storytelling and their ability to elevate the student voice.

“This award affirms the importance and power of the student voice, as well as the importance of the arts and collaboration,” Maduna said. “Messages such as water conservation can be communicated powerfully and creatively, as Unxano demonstrated.”

Advancing transformation through content

Among the winning entries was “UCT breaks ground with SASL website access”, produced by Myolisi Gophe, which received bronze in the writing category. The story highlighted UCT’s work in implementing the revised Language Policy by integrating South African Sign Language, IsiXhosa and Afrikaans into its online platforms.

“This recognition is really a glimpse of what we can achieve when we break barriers and work as a collective,” Gophe said. “The award is dedicated to the implementation of transformation enshrined in Vision 2030 and Strategy 2030, as well as to the collaborations with departments such as Multilingualism Education Project and the Office for Inclusivity & Change. Alone we can go far, but together we can go further.”

“The awards reinforce the value of producing high-quality visual storytelling in-house and the growing impact of UCT’s strategic content.”

Nomfundo Xolo, the researcher and coordinator of the video production team, who compiled three of the medal-winning pieces, said the entries were chosen because they strongly embodied UCT’s Vision 2030 pillars of excellence, transformation and sustainability.

“The Art and Transformation video documented a historic cultural shift on campus with thoughtfulness and emotional depth,” Xolo explained. “Emily Yunzhao Wang’s graduation story offered an intimate, uplifting portrait of perseverance in STEM. And Roxy Davis’s surf-therapy profile connected world-class research with real-world social impact.”

She added that while the team believed the entries were competitive for gold, the bronze medals still represent an important milestone. “The awards reinforce the value of producing high-quality visual storytelling in-house and the growing impact of UCT’s strategic content. Above all, they motivate us to keep pushing our craft and amplifying stories that reflect the diversity, resilience and brilliance of the UCT community.”

2025 MACE Excellence Awards – UCT winners

Silver

• Carrying the torch: Luhlanganiso Majebe keeps Uyinene Mrwetyana’s memory alive – Videography

Bronze

• UCT’s 11th Vice-Chancellor Installation Ceremony – Events
• UCT breaks ground with SASL website access – Writing
• Unxano: A strong call for water awareness – Photography
• Art and Transformation – Videography
• Climbing the stairs to success: Emily Yunzhao Wang’s graduation – Videography
• Roxy Davis’s surf-therapy profile – Videography
• Breaking boundaries: UCT’s first Sitting Volleyball Tournament | UCT News – Videography
• Transforming Science: Dr Nodumo Zulu’s algal innovation at UCT – Videography