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How to become a Supply Chain & Logistics Manager

Moves goods from supplier to shelf - procurement, warehousing, transport and distribution.

What does a Supply Chain & Logistics Manager actually do?

More about this career

Plans and manages how goods move from supplier to warehouse to customer - procurement, inventory, transport scheduling and distribution - for retailers, manufacturers, logistics companies, mines and ports. It’s a more operational, practical route into this world than an Industrial Engineering degree (which focuses on designing and optimising the underlying systems) or a general Business degree (which stays broader) - and a major employer given how much of South Africa’s economy depends on moving minerals, agricultural goods and retail stock.

Where this degree can take you

  • Procurement Manager
  • Warehouse & Distribution Manager
  • Logistics Analyst
  • Import/Export Coordinator

This is our general description of the role and related jobs, not from an official source – it’s here to give you a fuller picture, not as a careers-counselling guarantee.

Not from an official source

Subjects that usually help

  • Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy
  • Business Studies or Economics (helpful)

This is our general guidance about which school subjects suit this career. It is not an admission requirement and not from an official source – the real requirements are on the degrees below.

Not from an official source

Where to check this yourself

What the programmes we’ve captured actually ask for

  • Mathematics – asked for by 12 of 13 programmes
  • Mathematical Literacy – asked for by 5 of 13 programmes
  • Technical Mathematics – asked for by 3 of 13 programmes

Counted from the requirements below (an “or” alternative counts for each subject named). Each programme links to the page it came from.

Programmes that lead here

13 programmes at 9 universities. More are added as we verify them.

Durban University of Technology

No cut-off publishedSelection programme

Diploma in Shipping and Logistics (shore-based)

Applied Sciences

No points cut-off published for this one – see the note below.

  • English: level 4 (50% or more)
  • Mathematics: level 3 (40% or more)
  • Business, Commerce or Management subject – One business, commerce or management subject at level 4.
  • Two more subjects – Two further recognised subjects at level 3.

New row, read directly from DUT’s 2027 Study Opportunities prospectus (dut-pass-3). Selection by level of achievement plus an English and numeracy test. A recognised NQF 4+ maritime/shipping qualification is an alternative route. CAO code DU-D-NS3. From DUT’s 2027 Study Opportunities prospectus. Applications go through the CAO (cao.ac.za), not directly to DUT; general closing date 30 September 2026 (fee R250 SA / R300 international).

Source: View the official page (dut.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

Nelson Mandela University

BCom (Logistics & Transport Economics)

Business & Economic Sciences · 3 years

NMU Applicant Score (AS) 390 out of 600

  • Mathematics: 50%

Raw-read 2026-10-04 from the user-supplied NMU "Undergraduate Programmes 2027" Z-Card (A-Z table of Applicant Scores and subject percentages).

Source: View the official page (mandela.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

Diploma in Logistics

Business & Economic Sciences · 3 years

NMU Applicant Score (AS) 330 out of 600

  • Mathematics: 40% OR Mathematical Literacy: 60% OR Technical Mathematics: 40%

Raw-read 2026-10-04 from the user-supplied NMU "Undergraduate Programmes 2027" Z-Card (A-Z table of Applicant Scores and subject percentages). AS 330 with Mathematics, 345 with Mathematical Literacy. Extended Curriculum (4 years): AS 310, Mathematics 35%.

Source: View the official page (mandela.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

Stellenbosch University

Selection programme

BCom (Management Sciences) with focal area Logistics and Supply Chain Management

Economic and Management Sciences · 3 years

Stellenbosch aggregate 65 %

  • Language – English Home Language 50% OR Afrikaans Home Language 50% OR Afrikaans First Additional Language 70% OR English First Additional Language 70%.
  • Mathematics: 60%

Read 2026-10-04 from the Stellenbosch 2027 Undergraduate Prospectus (page images). The number shown is the NSC aggregate (excluding Life Orientation). Page 7. Every Stellenbosch programme is a selection programme. The figures shown are the published minimum requirements - the actual selection threshold is usually higher.

Source: View the official page (files.su.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

Tshwane University of Technology

Diploma in Supply Chain Management

Management Sciences · 3 years

TUT APS 24 points

  • English: level 4 (50% or more)
  • Mathematics, Technical Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy – Any one of these three at level 3.

Raw-confirmed 2026-10-04 against TUT’s 2026 faculty prospectus: APS and subject levels match. Recommended: commercial subjects. Closes 30 September 2026. From TUT’s 2027 First-Year Course Information and General Information PDFs. Applications opened 1 April 2026 (fee R240).

Source: View the official page (tut.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

University of Johannesburg

BCom in Transport and Logistics Management

Economic & Financial Sciences · 3 years

UJ APS 27 points

  • English: level 5 if it is your Home Language, level 5 if it is your First Additional Language
  • Mathematics: level 4 (50% or more) OR Technical Mathematics: level 4 (50% or more)

Read from the 2027 UJ Undergraduate Prospectus, page 42, programme code B34TLQ. Mathematical Literacy not accepted.

Source: View the official page (uj.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

Diploma in Logistics

Economic & Financial Sciences · 3 years

UJ APS 24 points

  • English: level 4 if it is your Home Language, level 4 if it is your First Additional Language
  • Mathematics: level 3 (40% or more) OR Technical Mathematics: level 3 (40% or more) OR Mathematical Literacy: level 5 (60% or more)

Read from the 2027 UJ Undergraduate Prospectus, page 45, programme code D34LGQ. APS 24 with Mathematics or Technical Mathematics, 26 with Mathematical Literacy.

Source: View the official page (uj.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

University of Pretoria

BCom specialising in Supply Chain Management

Economic & Management Sciences · 3 years

UP APS 30 points

  • English: level 5 if it is your Home Language, level 5 if it is your First Additional Language
  • Mathematics: level 4 (50% or more)

UP is the only European Logistics Association National Certification Centre in Sub-Saharan Africa; students can earn a Level 4 cEJLog certificate alongside the degree. Confirmed against the user-supplied EMS 2027 Faculty Brochure. Most UP closing dates are 30 June; Veterinary Science closes 31 May. Grade 12 applicants apply with their final Grade 11 results.

Source: View the official page (drupalwebprod-files.up.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

University of South Africa

BCom in Supply Chain and Operations Management

Economic & Management Sciences

Unisa APS 21 points

  • English: 50%
  • Mathematics: 50%

Re-read 2026-10-04 against Unisa’s live qualification page: APS, language/Mathematics percentages and the 17 August - 9 October 2026 window all match. NSC with Bachelor’s Degree endorsement required (a Higher Certificate or Diploma from Unisa’s College of Economic & Management Sciences is also accepted). Maximum 8 years to complete. Confirmed current for the 2027 intake: Unisa’s own pages state its 2027 application window as 17 August - 9 October 2026.

Source: View the official page (unisa.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

No cut-off published

Bachelor of Commerce in Transport and Logistics

Economic & Management Sciences

No points cut-off published for this one – see the note below.

  • English: 50%
  • Mathematics: 50%

Read 2026-10-04 from Unisa’s own qualification page (code 98313 – TRL). NSC with Bachelor’s Degree endorsement (or equivalent). Unisa states percentages, not an APS, on this page. Confirmed current for the 2027 intake: Unisa’s own pages state its 2027 application window as 17 August - 9 October 2026.

Source: View the official page (unisa.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

University of Zululand

From an older document

Diploma in Logistics Management

Commerce, Administration & Law · 3 years

UniZulu APS 24 points out of 48

  • English – English at level 3 (or Senior Certificate symbol D / HG E).
  • Mathematics: level 3 (40% or more) OR Mathematical Literacy: level 4 (50% or more)

Read 2026-10-04 from UniZulu’s 2026 Commerce, Administration & Law handbook (admission table, Richards Bay campus). Extremely strict quotas apply and an interview or placement test may be required. From UniZulu’s own 2026-labelled faculty handbooks, which contain no 2027-specific intake or closing-date information at all - do not assume a date, and treat this as the most recent official figures available rather than confirmed-current for 2027.

Source: View the official page (unizulu.ac.za) (opens the official page)

From an older document

Diploma in Transport Management

Commerce, Administration & Law · 3 years

UniZulu APS 24 points out of 48

  • English – English at level 3 (or Senior Certificate symbol D / HG E).
  • Mathematics: level 3 (40% or more) OR Mathematical Literacy: level 4 (50% or more)

Read 2026-10-04 from UniZulu’s 2026 Commerce, Administration & Law handbook (admission table, Richards Bay campus). Extremely strict quotas apply and an interview or placement test may be required. From UniZulu’s own 2026-labelled faculty handbooks, which contain no 2027-specific intake or closing-date information at all - do not assume a date, and treat this as the most recent official figures available rather than confirmed-current for 2027.

Source: View the official page (unizulu.ac.za) (opens the official page)

Vaal University of Technology

Diploma in Logistics

Management Sciences

VUT APS 20 points

  • English: level 4 if it is your Home Language, level 4 if it is your First Additional Language
  • Mathematics: level 3 (40% or more) OR Mathematical Literacy: level 4 (50% or more)
  • One other subject – One further subject at level 4.

APS 20 on the Mathematics route, 21 on the Mathematical Literacy route. A TVET N3-N6 certificate is also an accepted alternative entry route. Raw-confirmed directly against the user-supplied 2027 Undergraduate Minimum Admission Requirements PDF. From VUT’s 2027 Undergraduate Minimum Admission Requirements PDF. Academic applications close 30 September 2026 (residences 31 October 2026); fee R110.

Source: View the official page (vut.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

Are your marks enough?

Put your subjects in once and we’ll check them against every programme above – scored each university’s own way.

What do I qualify for?