MEDIA RELEASE: WALTER SISULU STRENGTHENS GRADUATE CONNECTIONS THROUGH NEW GATE PORTAL

iYunivesithi Walter Sisulu will change the way it connects with its graduates and alumni when it launches the Graduate, Alumni, Tracking and Engagement (GATE) Portal on Friday, 10 July, at the East London Health Resource Centre.

Commissioned by the university's Alumni Relations Office (ARO), the GATE Portal is an interactive digital platform designed to connect graduates, alumni, employers and strategic partners.

The portal represents a major milestone in the university's commitment to maintaining meaningful engagement with its graduates long after they leave the institution, through supporting employability, networking, mentorship, entrepreneurship, philanthropy, and institutional advancement.   

ARO Director, Mr Sandiso Mbongo said the platform represents a transformative shift in how the university connects with, supports, and collaborates with its alumni network.  

"This portal will enable the university to locate its graduates and track their current professional and personal engagements. This will make it easier to establish new alumni chapters while encouraging greater alumni participation and engagement," said Mbongo.

Adding to the significance of the project is the fact that the portal was developed by Walter Sisulu Alumnus, Kgaugelo Mmakola who holds a Diploma in Information and Communication Technology and an Advanced Diploma in ICT specialising in Application Development, both from the institution.

Under the employ of the ARO, Mmakola has spent months building the platform from scratch, transforming an idea into a groundbreaking platform that is set to the change the lives of graduates like himself.

“I arrived at Walter Sisulu University as a student with dreams, uncertainty, and many challenges. Today, I have the privilege of developing a platform that will support thousands of graduates throughout their careers. Looking back, I realise that every opportunity I received prepared me for this moment,” said Mmakola.

For recent graduates seeking their first career breakthrough, the portal will provide access to employment opportunities, internships, CV support and employer connections.

For established professionals, it will provide opportunities to mentor current students, collaborate on projects with the institution, share their expertise, and various other ways to give back to their alma mater.  “As a centralised platform, the system will strengthen connections among alumni and between alumni and the university, fostering collaboration, networking and lifelong relationships,” said Mbongo.

By consolidating alumni information into a single, integrated system, the university will be able to better monitor graduate employment trends, entrepreneurial activities, further studies, and professional progression.

The platform will also improve communication with graduates while creating opportunities to connect them with career development initiatives, internships, and employment opportunities.

Mbongo said the platform would also provide valuable evidence to support institutional decision-making.

"The portal will provide comprehensive data and insights on key graduate and alumni outcomes, including employment, career progression and participation in university initiatives. This information will strengthen alumni engagement, enhance graduate employability initiatives and demonstrate the long-term impact of the university's academic programmes," he said.

The launch forms part of Walter Sisulu 's broader advancement strategy aimed at building stronger relationships with its graduates while positioning alumni as active contributors to the university's continued growth, innovation and societal impact.