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When you think of IT, you might picture servers, code or cybersecurity. But behind every system, there is a person helping to translate complex business needs into real-world digital solutions. As an IT Business Relationship Manager, Teboho Mphuthi serves as the bridge between Finance and the IT Division – someone who listens, interprets and finds the best-fit solutions to move ideas forward.
“My role is really about building mutual understanding,” Teboho explains. “Sometimes what seems like a tech problem is actually a process issue and I help teams figure that out. It’s not always a technical solution that is needed.”
Teboho meets regularly with representatives across faculties and support services to unpack challenges and identify where IT can help, and where change might be more about people, systems or workflows. “I enjoy the conversations that get us thinking about how to do things better – quicker, smarter and with less red tape,” he says. “And once we understand the need, I help coordinate the right IT resources to get the job done.”
Before joining the University, Teboho’s career began in maintenance and engineering, fine-tuning systems for reliability and performance. That early work, focused on preventing failure, would later influence his approach to IT: thoughtful, methodical and deeply people-centred. “I started in plant maintenance, doing reliability-centred maintenance and things like vibration monitoring. I was fascinated by how we could use data to make decisions and avoid breakdowns,” Teboho recalls.
His move into IT came through ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) implementations, where he discovered a love for solving business problems through systems thinking. “I studied Business Information Systems and got involved in HR ERP implementations. It was the start of seeing how IT could transform how organisations work.”
But for Teboho, this isn’t just work – it’s a calling rooted in purpose. That theme carries through in more ways than one. Outside the office, he is an ultra-marathon runner who has completed the Comrades Marathon four times. “Running long distances teaches you patience, discipline and how to break challenges into smaller parts,” Teboho says. “You don’t run 90km in one go – you focus on the next water point, the next hill. It’s exactly the same in IT projects.”
One of the biggest influences in Teboho’s outlook on life and leadership is Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl. “It’s one of those books that really changed how I see things. Frankl talks about finding purpose even in suffering and that meaning is something you create through your actions,” Teboho reflects. “Whether it’s the Comrades or the middle of a difficult rollout, it reminds me why I keep showing up.”
That sense of alignment between personal values and professional purpose is part of what drew Teboho to Stellenbosch University. “My move to the Western Cape was a family decision, but joining the University felt right,” he shares. “It’s an institution that values research, innovation and impact – and I get to be part of that.”
Outside of work (and running), Teboho also enjoys cycling and watching motorsport with his children. “I love the strategies in motorsport – when to change tyres, how fuel strategy affects outcomes. My kids and I really get into it.”
And while many colleagues only recently learned about his running journey, Teboho was deeply moved by the support he received after completing his most recent Comrades in June this year. “I didn’t expect it. But the messages, the encouragement, it meant so much. It reminded me that, just like in running or IT, you’re never really doing it alone. There’s always a team behind you.”
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