Akademia proudly announces the appointment of Dr Jaco du Toit as acting dean of the Faculty of Natural Sciences. This appointment is effective from 1 July 2026. With more than two decades’ industry experience in the information technology industry, a strong academic background in cyber security and a passion for the development of future computer scientists, Du Toit adds a unique combination of practical experience as well as academic expertise to this role.

Du Toit, who has been a part of the faculty team on the Pretoria Campus since 2024, follows in the footsteps of Dr Piet Pretorius, under whose leadership he acted as head of department: Computer Sciences.

From the industry to the academia

Before Du Toit entered the academia, he worked in the computer industry for more than twenty years and was fortunate enough to be exposed to a wide variety of industries. The latter includes mining, energy and petrochemistry, finances, aviation, pharmaceutical production and telecommunication.

According to Du Toit this career experience includes projects for multinational companies such as Eskom, Sasol, Anglo American, AngloGold, Telkom, the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) and South African Airways (SAA). This opportunity took him around the country, but also internationally when he lived in Germany for a while. Thinking back Du Toit believes that one of the biggest highs of his career was the opportunity to see firsthand how diverse industries functions and how technology serves as the driving force for innovation and efficacy.

“My career started when the internet just appeared in South Africa,” Du Toit says and adds that he was in the fortunate position to experience the development of computer networks from the MS-DOS and Windows 3.1 to the current modern and centrally managed infrastructure systems. Today cyber security is one of the biggest professional interests.

A lifelong passion for computer sciences

Du Toit tells that his interest in computers started as a schoolboy when his father bought a ZX Spectrum 48 KB computer. “I soon realised that there is more to computers that games, and thus my curiosity finally became my passion and career,” says Du Toit.

Years later, during his honours’ study, a cyber-attack exercise ignited his passion for cyber security. Thanks to his extensive industry experience, het could easily connect theory with his practical applications and he completed his master’s degree as well as his doctoral study in this field. His doctoral study focused on the management of cyber security in devices that are not used or controlled by organisations. The latter is increasingly relevant in a world that is characterised by remote work and personal smart devices. 

Called to equip the following generation of expertise

According to Du Toit the move from industry to academia was more than a career change and he regards it as a greater calling.

“When I began lecturing full-time, there was a strong motivation to take part in community building in this manner. I wanted to prepare the following generation of experts to contribute meaningfully to industry,” Since then his focus has expanded to the supervision of postgraduate students and the development of new academic expertise.

“The opportunity to join Akademia gave my vocational calling more drive and enabled me to build a relatively young Afrikaans higher education institution, but also a computer sciences programme that purposefully prepares students for the future. A future in which professions will thrive that do not even exist in your imagination today,” explains Du Toit.

As acting dean Du Toit is excited about the opportunity to make a difference in the field of computer sciences, but to also expand the building block of the bigger natural sciences environment. 

A clear vision for the faculty

Du Toit’s great dream is to establish, together with his colleagues in the Faculty of Natural Sciences, a faculty that will be recognised – both nationally and internationally – for the quality of its programmes.

“We aim to purposefully develop students who, from a Christian worldview, can see the bigger picture and make a tangible difference in their communities and professional environments,” says Du Toit. He further adds that he is excited about the growth potential of the institution’s Paarl Campus, particularly regarding computer science. “It is important for us to offer training and development that is not only relevant but also meets the changing needs of the country and the field of computer sciences,” he adds.

One of the future initiatives of which Du Toit is particularly proud is the planned expansion of the faculty’s higher certificate offerings. These programmes will offer school leavers the opportunity to improve their mathematics performance so that they can meet the admission requirements for programmes with higher mathematical requirements. Furthermore, the expansion of the current BSc (Computer Sciences) programme is being investigated in order to offer an even more focused programme in information technology.

Promising opportunities beckon regarding the expansion of the larger faculty, with the addition of biological sciences as well as engineering being envisaged. This development work is already well underway, and the launch at the institution’s world-class campus in the east of Pretoria – scheduled to commence in 2028 – is eagerly awaited.

Du Toit agrees that computer sciences unlocks unprecedented career opportunities, ensuring those interested have access to virtually any industry. At the same time, this career path represents not only dynamic future prospects but also the critical honing of inventive problem-solving skills. He adds that his own career serves as proof that this field can take people to places, they would never have dreamed of.

The person behind the academic

When Du Toit is not occupied with research or academic management responsibilities, he is a devoted family man. He has been married to his wife, Ilse, for 27 years, and the couple has two daughters, Izelle and Marli.

His greatest role model is his father-in-law, the internationally recognised cybersecurity expert Prof. Basie von Solms. “For him, there is no such thing as a closed door; he would rather build a door if there wasn’t one. He creates opportunities where others do not even see possibilities, and above all, he is a humble Christian, a devoted family man, and a mentor who has consistently supported me with wisdom and guidance,” says Du Toit.