Author: Google Alert - "bursary" OR "bursaries" OR "FET college"

Cape Town – Half a million rand has been allocated to the Stellenbosch University Die Vlakte Bursary Fund as a means of restitution.

The bursary was established for the benefit of children whose families were removed from Die Vlakte, an area close to the Stellenbosch town centre, during the Group Areas Act.

The neighbourhood – situated between Muller, Bird and Joubert streets and Merriman Avenue – was home to mostly coloured people.

The university said that at the time, it “did not protest”, and later built on the expropriated land.

On Monday, the university announced the first recipients of the fund.

Die Vlakte bursary recipients: Wesley Gabriels, Cleo Lawrence, Professor Wim de Villiers, Griezelda Stuurman, Brad Poole and Melissa Hector. (Picture: Anton Jordaan)

Stellenbosch University spokesperson Martin Viljoen said the funds were received from the Harry Crossley Foundation, which awarded it to Rector Professor Wim de Villiers for exceptional leadership in 2015.

De Villiers said the establishment of the fund was one of his first acts as rector and was close to his heart.

“I have decided to allocate the donation I’ve received from the Harry Crossley Foundation towards this fund in an effort to bolster it and put us in a financial position to award even more bursaries in future,” he said.

“Higher education is a potent form of empowerment, and thus creating opportunities for students in financial need is a priority for me.”

The bursary covers basic class fees for the minimum length of the course.

The students selected were Wesley Gabriels and Cleo Lawrence, both first-year students in the social sciences; Melissa Hector, a fourth year medical student; Brad Poole, a second year engineering student; and Griezelda Stuurman, a honours student in education.

A community committee was established to verify the applicants’ lineage from Die Vlakte, where after the bursary committee’s allocation criteria were applied.

A maximum of five bursaries will be awarded annually to those who lived in the area, their children and grandchildren.  Current and prospective undergraduate students may apply, as well as applicants who will be registering for a first postgraduate programme, the university said.

The Memory Room was opened in the Wilcocks Building in 2013 and is a “permanent contemporary exhibition space depicting the suppressed history of people of Die Vlakte”.

This project was the brainchild of the late rector and vice chancellor Professor Russel Botman and originated from an apology in 2012 offered by student leaders in Dagbreek men’s residence for the role they played in the Battle of Andringa Street, when white students attacked coloured residents of the adjacent Vlakte and damaged their residences in 1940, the statement reads.

This was followed by a meeting between students and former residents of Andringa Street at Botman’s house.

“Forced removals from Die Vlakte under the Group Areas Act also resulted in the Lückhoff School in Banghoek Road being given to the university. The Lückhoff School has since been rededicated to the local community in 2007 and houses various community organisations in addition to the university’s Division for Social Impact,” the university said.

“In 2008 and 2009 a permanent photographic exhibition was installed in the building to give recognition to old boys and girls of the school who had become prominent role-players in South African society.”

Uncontained excitement filled the Feather Market Hall on Thursday, 14 April as The Varsity College class of 2015 graduates were honoured and celebrated by staff, lecturers, family and friends at their graduation ceremony. Special guest, Nola Payne, Head of Faculty for Information Communications Technology from The Independent Institute of Education (The IIE) took to the stage to cap all the eager graduates.

Among those who graduated on Thursday were Candice Olivier (The IIE Diploma in Travel & Tourism Management) and Luyolo Nqakula (The IIE Bachelor of Arts in Corporate Communications).

Luyolo was part of the winning team at the annual Varsity College School Quiz hosted by the Port Elizabeth campus in 2011 while Candice was the recipient of the 2012 Schools Quiz bursary.

The Varsity College annual Schools Quiz is hosted and sponsored by all eight Varsity College campuses for high schools based in their communities. Algoa FM is Varsity College Port Elizabeth’s School Quiz partner. As part of the prizes in 2011 and 2012, the winning schools were each given a bursary to the value of R80 000 to award to a deserving Grade 12 pupil of their choice. These bursaries are usually awarded by the school based on academic merit and financial need.

When asked how they went about receiving the bursary, Candice said: “Students were given the opportunity of a lifetime to apply for the bursary by writing an essay why we deserved to receive the bursary and how it would change our lives. They announced the winner at the 2012 valedictory where I was awarded this incredible life-changing bursary.”

Luyolo also shared his experience: “During my first year at Varsity College, I had an opportunity to apply for the Varsity College bursary which the school won during the Schools Quiz in 2012. There were four of us who applied. My high school principal, Mr Hopley, then informed me that I was selected because of my overall performance”.

“This bursary has given me so many opportunities that I thought I would never have. Financially I wouldn’t have been able to study but thanks to this blessing I was able to study what I have always wanted, which was a three year The IIE Diploma in Travel and Tourism Management. I am truly thankful to Varsity College and Victoria Park High School for this opportunity. They have allowed for my dreams to come true and have opened so many doors for me.” says Candice.

Since having completed her final exams in November 2015, Candice has been employed at Rennies Travel as a Financial Refunds Clerk.

As part of the graduation ceremony, the top graduates with the highest overall average in each of The IIE qualifications were awarded the Top Achiever Award in recognition of all academic achievements. Recipients of this amazing award were only announced during the graduation ceremony with Candice Olivier being the Top Achiever for her class graduating with an amazing overall average of 87% and 25 distinctions.

Top Achievers from the other courses included: Khanyisile Juliet Tiki (IIE Higher Certificate in Information Technology in Support Services), Reniel Wesley (IIE Higher Certificate in Business Principles and Practices), Nicole Ann Assumption (IIE Higher Certificate in Events Management), Gaynor Sharon Jordon (Diploma in Business Management and Entrepreneurship), Jade Lee-Anne Blignaut (Diploma in Public Relations), Alveno Dillian Douglas (IIE Diploma in Commerce in Marketing Management), Waldo Kapp (IIE Diploma in Sport Development and Management), Marc Clyde Burgess (IIE Diploma in Information Technology in Software Development), Funeka Gloria Soga (IIE Bachelor of Arts in Corporate Communications) and Andisa Tyala (Bachelor of Commerce).

Varsity College is very proud of all their graduates and wishes them every success as they start the next chapter of their lives.

Sixteen girls in KwaZulu-Natal have been told that they have to keep their virginity if they are to stay on the bursary –known as the Maiden’s Bursary– that they have been awarded by the District Municipality of UThukela in KwaZulu-Natal in order to further higher education [1]. A contract of this type fails on both moral and legal grounds.

How does the bursary work?

The Maiden’s Bursary has been awarded to sixteen girls who have finished high school and subsequently wish to pursue their studies at a tertiary institution [2]. A condition of the award is that the girls had to agree to undergo virginity testing every holiday to ensure that they had not engaged in any sexual activity in the intervening time [3]. The girls are also required to furnish the municipality with a certificate stating that they are virgins [4]. Failure to meet these conditions would mean that the bursary would be taken away from them.

This new category of bursary was first introduced during the Mayoral Matric Excellence Awards on 11 January 2016 [5]. The Mayor of UThukela District, Dudu Mazibuko, stated that these “bursaries were intended to encourage young girls to stay pure and focus on their education” [6]. She also said that virginity testing is not something new as it has “existed in Zulu culture for decades” [7]. This is an issue in itself, as it suggests that only Zulu women will be given the bursaries to the exclusion of all other women.

Issues around the bursary scheme:

There are a myriad of issues surrounding the bursary scheme and some of them include the constitutionality of the virginity testing practice, the right to dignity, the right to bodily integrity, right to privacy, discrimination on the grounds of gender as well as the right to reproductive health. These will each be discussed below. Firstly, we should consider virginity testing as it is traditionally practiced in Zulu culture [8].

It is performed by older women who inspect the vagina of a young girl or woman to look for signs of an intact hymen [9]. According to this examination if the hymen is intact then it means that the girl or young woman is a virgin; otherwise she is not. Medical research shows that this test for virginity testing is not reliable [10]. There are many ways within which a young woman or girl might break their hymen. These include falling off a bicycle, athletic activity such as gymnastics, or during medical examinations, or the use of a tampon [11].

Moreover, the Children’s Act [12] in sections 12 (4) – 12(7) states that virginity testing on a child younger than 16 years of age is prohibited. It goes on further to state that if it is performed on a child older than 16 years then it may only be performed if the child has consented, after proper counselling in the manner prescribed, and the results may not be disclosed without the consent of the child. This section further states that the child who has undergone virginity testing may not have their body marked in any way.

All law has to be interpreted in the light of the Constitution, which protects the rights to dignity; bodily integrity and privacy. All these rights are violated by this practice. Requiring the girls to submit a certificate to the municipality stating that they are virgins is a breach of their privacy. Requiring them to remain virgins intrudes on their right to reproduction and reproductive choices as enshrined in the Constitution. The fear of these tests, as well as the trauma associated with the examination and possible stigma attached to these tests, impairs the dignity of young women or girls. Bodily integrity is also impaired, since there is a risk of infection if the tests are not done in a sterile environment. Furthermore, making it mandatory that only the females remain virgins is discriminatory on the grounds of sex as there is no limitation on the males to conform to such standards.

The municipality seems to be under the misconception that by not remaining a virgin one gets pregnant. However, this is not true as there are many ways a non-virgin can refrain from getting pregnant such as the use of contraception. The municipality by taking an archaic, paternalistic stand seems to believe that it must step in, as the young girls cannot think for themselves and need to be saved from themselves. If given the means and sexual education, the young women under this bursary scheme can deal with their own reproductive and sexual health and still focus on their education. There are no grounds for forcing them into remaining virgins during their studies.

The terms of the bursary are conditional on the girls remaining virgins. This condition renders the contractual terms void ab initio. The reason is that the contract places the girls in a position where they are unable to choose for themselves. They are forced into the conditions of the bursary scheme to educate themselves, without other options being available to them. This then means that there is no consensus ad idem in order for them to conclude a valid and binding contract. Duress is present when the terms are for one to remain a virgin or else have no bursary. The bursary scheme is unlawful, even if bursary holders consent to the virginity conditions.

Suggestion

A better solution would be to have bursary schemes which are not dependent on any form of pregnancy or physical aspects of women. This would remove virginity maintenance, virginity testing and virginity certification from the contract altogether, achieving a legitimate educational aim of the bursary.

Conclusion

Customary law and practice have to be developed consonant with the Constitution. A local authority should be fully aware of this, and the implications for bursary schemes. Virginity testing under duress is simply unconstitutional and repugnant. The bursary scheme needs to be reviewed and its objectionable aspects set aside.

Various organisations such as POWA (People Opposing Women Abuse) [13] and the Centre for Child Law [14] have sharply criticized this bursary programme, pointing out that it discriminates against girls; it also argues that the practice of virginity testing per se is unconstitutional.

The DA have also stated that they have approached the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) requesting that an investigation be conducted into Mayor Dudu Mazibuko for attaching the condition to this bursary scheme [15]. The matter is currently being investigated by the SAHRC and the outcome is eagerly being awaited [16]. Archaic and oppressive practices are not compatible with our Constitution.

Arvitha Doodnath, Legal Researcher, Helen Suzman Foundation, 13 April 2016 

Over 500 Unisa students approved for Funza Lushaka‚ the state bursary programme for teaching studies‚ are yet to receive their allowances‚ months after their academic year started.

These are allowances for textbooks‚ accommodation and food. Students have complained that the delay in releasing the funds was hurting their studies and preparations for the upcoming semester examinations.

“How am I expected to study properly without textbooks? Administration of Funza at Unisa needs to improve‚” a student‚ who asked not to be named for possible retribution‚ told Sowetan.

Veronica McKay‚ dean of the College of Education at Unisa‚ said 519 students at the school have been approved for Funza Lushaka.

She said their tuition fees have been paid‚ and added the issue of allowances would be sorted out by the Department of Basic Education‚ custodians of the bursary scheme.

“We are fully committed to ensuring that students have a positive learning experience and that they are supported – especially those students who come from disadvantaged circumstances‚” McKay said.

Funza Lushaka is a full-cost‚ multi-year bursary scheme the Department of Basic Education introduced in 2007 to attract new matrics to enrol for teaching studies. South Africa is facing a dearth of young teachers in rural schools.

Elijah Mhlanga‚ spokesman of the department‚ said students should receive their allowances before end of April. – TMG Digital/Sowetan

ECSTATIC Eskom bursary beneficiaries with the minister of Public … at the Further Education and Training (FET) College and they hope to make a …

LEONIE LAVEN (18) and her schoolmate, Chandre Waldock (19), who matriculated at the Rietvale High School in 2015, have been given the opportunity to fulfil their dreams of pursuing careers in the engineering field.

This was after they had been awarded bursaries, along with 13 other learners in Ritchie, by the minister of Public Enterpri-ses, Lynne Brown.

This took place at the Rietrivier Primary School on Thursday, 31 March.

The bursaries are funded by Eskom.

The two girls plan to study Mechanical Engineering at the Further Education and Training (FET) College and they hope to make a difference in their community.

According to them, they and the other bursary beneficiaries want to do away with the scourges of alcohol abuse, teenage pregnancy and violence that are prevalent in Ritchie.

In order to achieve their aim to turn the tide of poverty in the township around, the other learners said they were planning on pursuing careers in fields like Economics, Aviation, Human Resource Management and Information Technology.

Leonie and Chandre will start with a bridging course in order to improve their matric marks to show that they are determined to put the bursaries to good use.

“I want to prove to everyone that I can achieve a higher place in life, just like the height of my shoe hills,” Leonie said and lifted her feet to show her stilettos.

“I want to make Eskom and the minister proud for reaching out to us. I also want to prove to the youth that it does not matter where you come from.

“You can always realise your dreams through hard work and commitment to your studies.”

Leonie shared her experience of dropping out of school in 2014 because she had fallen pregnant and how she had committed herself to work hard to make up for that lost year.

“I want to be a role model to my child while I raise her, by showing her that by committing oneself to education, one can rise to greater heights.”

On the day of the bursary handover, Brown emphasised that they are trying to avoid situations such as the current generation returning to their grandparents’ impoverished circumstances by offering them the bursaries.

“The initiative was triggered when I attended one of the local matric farewell functions and realised that most of the learners were faced with challenges like sitting at home without financial support to study further.

“Thus I approached Eskom for their assistance in terms of bursaries.”

The minister shared her childhood experience and told the audience that her mother had been a domestic worker and her father a truck driver who had raised her in a small town similar to Ritchie.

“I told myself that I would not end up in that situation and would rather assist my whole family.”

She encouraged the beneficiaries to work hard in making a difference in the lives of their families.

“You have a bright future ahead of you. There is no easier way to break the shackles of poverty than to work hard, even though you do not always get the best results,” she concluded.

She further mentioned the need for the construction of another high school due to the anticipated overcrowding in future.

This marks the tenth anniversary and final year that the bursary will be made available. The closing date is 5pm on Friday, 29 April and no late applications will be accepted.

Auditions will take place at the Baxter Theatre Centre in Cape Town on 18 and 19 May with finals on 20 May, when the winners will be announced at a special function on the same day.

All applications should only be sent to Nicolette Moses at Baxter Theatre Centre, Main Road, Rondebosch, 7700, via email to nicolette.moses@uct.ac.za or fax her on 021 650 5260.

The selection criteria stipulate that the actor should be a South African citizen, under the age of 30 in July 2016, have an interest in classic theatre, have a valid passport and be able to fly to Stratford during the stated period as dates are strictly not negotiable.

For the audition, actors are required to perform two classic speeches (one tragic and one comic) as well as motivate why they should be awarded the bursary. It is essential that all applications include a detailed CV and a letter of motivation.

The Brett Goldin Bursary was set up immediately after the young actor and his friend, fashion designer Richard Bloom, both 28, were brutally murdered over the Easter weekend on April 16, 2006, just days before he was due to leave for Stratford-upon-Avon. He was to perform the role of Guildenstern in the Baxter’s production of Hamlet, directed by Janet Suzman, which launched the prestigious Royal Shakespeare Company’s Complete Works Festival. The double murder sent shockwaves throughout South Africa and England.

The Royal Shakespeare Company, The Actors Centre in Johannesburg and the Baxter Theatre Centre established the bursary which was kick-started by donations from respected South African-born actor Sir Antony Sher and Honorary RSC Associate Dame Janet Suzman to give another young actor the opportunity which Brett was denied and to honour his memory in an appropriate manner.

The bursary is a short post graduate course designed to enhance and fine-tune actors who are committed to the need and desire to expand their knowledge and acting ability of Shakespeare. Furthermore, their willingness to use the skills gained to enthuse and, on their return, to encourage others towards a love and understanding of Shakespeare is essential.

From the applications received a shortlist of 20 will be made. Only shortlisted applicants will be notified and they will be invited to audition on the aforementioned dates at the Baxter Theatre Centre. The 20 candidates must be available for the call-backs and auditions on said dates and all costs involved in the process are for the respective actors’ own accounts. Six finalists will be selected for the final audition on 20 May and the bursary winners will be announced that same day. Winners will be chosen according to their talent for Shakespeare performance, passion, commitment and overall suitability.

The two successful bursars will be selected from the auditions to travel to the home of the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, birthplace of the world’s most famous playwright, for one month, from about 27/28 July to 27/28 August.

The work programme will include activities such as attending warm-ups, solo and company voice and verse classes, any Artist Development workshops held during the visit, technical rehearsals and other rehearsals at the directors’ discretion, as well as sessions with a director or assistant director and the opportunity to attend Learning Department workshops.

The successful incumbents will be based in the Artist Development Department and introduced to the company, and it is hoped that much of the educational experience will come from observation, discussion with personnel working in production, press and casting departments and through contact with other actors, directors or members of the RSC.

Omphile Molusi became the first recipient of the bursary in 2007 and in 2008 Thami Mbongo and Nicholas Pauling were chosen when the organisers decided to hold the event every second year and that two recipients would be chosen. All three actors were part of the highly acclaimed The Tempest which marked the second collaboration between the Baxter Theatre Centre and the Royal Shakespeare Company in 2009. 2010 recipients were Thato Moraka and Josette Eales and in 2012 it was Nkosinathi Gaar and Timothy Redpath who impressed the judges. Kate Liquorish and Tony Bonani Miyambo won in 2014.

“With the incredible success of this unique opportunity it has been a joy for me to see how the programme has benefited the young actors who have been through it,” explains Denise Goldin, mother of Brett. “Besides enhancing their own performances they have brought back to South Africa their passion for Shakespeare and positively used this to encourage and inspire upcoming actors to share their love of Shakespeare.”

For further enquiries about applying for the bursary contact Nicolette Moses on 021 680 3964 during office hours. All applications should be clearly marked and addressed to Nicolette Moses, on fax 021 650 5260, e-mail nicolette.moses@uct.ac.za or posted or delivered to the Baxter Theatre Centre, Main Road, Rondebosch, 7700 by no later than 5pm on Friday, 29 April 2016.

For further media enquiries, interview or pic requests, contact Andiswa Gumbi on 021 680 3973 or e-mail andiswa.gumbi@uct.ac.za.

Artslink.co.za Account:
Fahiem Stellenboom
fahiem.stellenboom@uct.ac.za
021 680 3971
072 265 6023
Baxter Theatre Centre
www.baxter.co.za

• to effect greater understanding and co-operation among those with various language and cultural backgrounds;
• to foster enterprise, commitment and effective participation in a common future; and
• to promote South African unity.

• Nominees shall be third-year students and above or members of the University staff of Lecturer status (25 years or younger).
• Nominees must be of South African nationality and have a valid South African passport.
• Nominees must be aged 25 or less at the start of the tour, i.e. they must not have had their 26th birthday at the commencement of the tour. This age restriction can be departed from, at the discretion of the Trustees, in the case of outstanding applicants.
• Married persons may be nominated, but only on the understanding that if granted a Travel Bursary such bursar shall not be accompanied by his or her spouse.

1. A personal letter of motivation as to why you are applying for the bursary.
2. A CV containing the following information:

2.1. Personal details

• Title, full name and surname
• Student or personnel number
• Date of birth
• Age (on 25 November 2015)
• Marital status
• Citizenship
• Identity number
• Language proficiency
• Traits

• Physical and postal address
• Contact number(s)
• Email address

3. Academic qualifications:

4. Extra-curricular activities at school and university / positions held and achievements
5. Social and Community Service
6. Additional information (optional)

• Identity document
• Passport
• UP academic record
• Matric Certificate

A final Goldin opportunity awaits two young South African actors between 20 and 30 years old as the Baxter calls for applications for auditions.

The Baxter Theatre Centre is calling for applications from young South African actors, from anywhere in the country, between the ages of 20 and 30, who wish to audition for the Brett Goldin Bursary for 2016. This marks the tenth anniversary and final year that the bursary will be made available.

The closing date is 5pm on Friday, 29 April and no late applications will be accepted.

Auditions will take place at the Baxter Theatre Centre in Cape Town on 18 and 19 May with finals on 20 May, when the winners will be announced at a special function on the same day.

All applications should only be sent to Nicolette Moses at Baxter Theatre Centre, Main Road, Rondebosch, 7700, via email to nicolette.moses@uct.ac.za or fax her on 021 650 5260.

The selection criteria stipulate that the actor should be a South African citizen, under the age of 30 in July 2016, have an interest in classic theatre, have a valid passport and be able to fly to Stratford during the stated period as dates are strictly not negotiable.

For the audition, actors are required to perform two classic speeches (one tragic and one comic) as well as motivate why they should be awarded the bursary. It is essential that all applications include a detailed CV and a letter of motivation.

The Brett Goldin Bursary was set up immediately after the young actor and his friend, fashion designer Richard Bloom, both 28, were brutally murdered over the Easter weekend on April 16, 2006, just days before he was due to leave for Stratford-upon-Avon. He was to perform the role of Guildenstern in the Baxter’s production of Hamlet, directed by Janet Suzman, which launched the prestigious Royal Shakespeare Company’s Complete Works Festival. The double murder sent shockwaves throughout South Africa and England.

The Royal Shakespeare Company, The Actors Centre in Johannesburg and the Baxter Theatre Centre established the bursary which was kick-started by donations from respected South African-born actor Sir Antony Sher and Honorary RSC Associate Dame Janet Suzman to give another young actor the opportunity which Brett was denied and to honour his memory in an appropriate manner.

The bursary is a short post graduate course designed to enhance and fine-tune actors who are committed to the need and desire to expand their knowledge and acting ability of Shakespeare. Furthermore, their willingness to use the skills gained to enthuse and, on their return, to encourage others towards a love and understanding of Shakespeare is essential.

From the applications received a shortlist of 20 will be made. Only shortlisted applicants will be notified and they will be invited to audition on the aforementioned dates at the Baxter Theatre Centre. The 20 candidates must be available for the call-backs and auditions on said dates and all costs involved in the process are for the respective actors’ own accounts. Six finalists will be selected for the final audition on 20 May and the bursary winners will be announced that same day. Winners will be chosen according to their talent for Shakespeare performance, passion, commitment and overall suitability.

The two successful bursars will be selected from the auditions to travel to the home of the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, birthplace of the world’s most famous playwright, for one month, from about 27/28 July to 27/28 August.

The work programme will include activities such as attending warm-ups, solo and company voice and verse classes, any Artist Development workshops held during the visit, technical rehearsals and other rehearsals at the directors’ discretion, as well as sessions with a director or assistant director and the opportunity to attend Learning Department workshops.

The successful incumbents will be based in the Artist Development Department and introduced to the company, and it is hoped that much of the educational experience will come from observation, discussion with personnel working in production, press and casting departments and through contact with other actors, directors or members of the RSC.

Omphile Molusi became the first recipient of the bursary in 2007 and in 2008 Thami Mbongo and Nicholas Pauling were chosen when the organisers decided to hold the event every second year and that two recipients would be chosen. All three actors were part of the highly acclaimed The Tempest which marked the second collaboration between the Baxter Theatre Centre and the Royal Shakespeare Company in 2009. 2010 recipients were Thato Moraka and Josette Eales and in 2012 it was Nkosinathi Gaar and Timothy Redpath who impressed the judges. Kate Liquorish and Tony Bonani Miyambo won in 2014.

“With the incredible success of this unique opportunity it has been a joy for me to see how the programme has benefited the young actors who have been through it,” explains Denise Goldin, mother of Brett. “Besides enhancing their own performances they have brought back to South Africa their passion for Shakespeare and positively used this to encourage and inspire upcoming actors to share their love of Shakespeare.”

For further enquiries about applying for the bursary contact Nicolette Moses on 021 680 3964 during office hours. All applications should be clearly marked and addressed to Nicolette Moses, on fax 021 650 5260, e-mail nicolette.moses@uct.ac.za or posted or delivered to the Baxter Theatre Centre, Main Road, Rondebosch, 7700 by no later than 5pm on Friday, 29 April 2016.

For further media enquiries, interview or pic requests, contact Andiswa Gumbi on 021 680 3973 or e-mail andiswa.gumbi@uct.ac.za.

Artslink.co.za Account:
Fahiem Stellenboom
fahiem.stellenboom@uct.ac.za
021 680 3971
072 265 6023
Baxter Theatre Centre
www.baxter.co.za

The young designer also announced that he is launching a brand-new bursary and got a standing ovation from the 450 or so fashion lovers, including Advocate Thuli Madonsela. The Public Protector stole the show in the front row, slaying in an emerald-green dress by Coetzee.

Here’s the juicy exclusive pic : 

Madonsela was full of praise for Coetzee, who recently also created the yellow gown that caused such a stir when she wore it to SONA in February.

“He really is a genius; the collection is world-class and I love that he caters for every kind of occasion, whether it is a glamorous wedding, tea with your girlfriends or a regular day at the office. But also, he is so young and he is already giving back to others. Young people like him embody what Madiba said: a good mind and a good heart makes a great combination.”

The new bursary will finance one student for a three-year qualification in Fashion Communication and Buying at the Northwest School of Design, where Coetzee himself qualified. This comes in addition to the existing GJC Fashion Design bursary, which is already in its sixth year.

-TheJuice

The bursary fund will be attainable by tertiary students residing within the Sembcorp Siza Water concession area and will be available for applicants wishing to attend a tertiary institution in 2016.

The UWC branch stated they were in document collection, bursary follow up mode, honing in on the post graduate sector (endless senate committee …

JOHANNESBURG – Fees Must Fall activists from universities across the country were locked in a meeting today discussing their plan of action.

The students embarked on a protest at Wits University’s Braamfontein campus yesterday, disrupting classes and damaging property.

Seats inside a lecture hall were also set alight causing extensive damage.

Wits Economic Freedom Fighters student leader Vuyani Pambo says they are also discussing issues around allegations that women were beaten during the demonstration yesterday.

“People are [accused] of having beaten up people. I’ve never seen or beaten up the person they claim I beat up.”

Five students have been suspended from the institution for contravening a court order obtained by the university against protest actions at any of its campuses.

(Edited by Refilwe Pitjeng)

THE Rotary Club of Alberton invites all students living in the Greater Alberton and surrounding areas to apply for a partial bursary it is offering.

Students who are in their second or third year of study, at an accredited South African tertiary institution, can apply for a partial bursary to be awarded on academic merit at the discretion of the Alberton Rotary Club’s board members.

Please request an application form via email from alberton.rotary@outlook.com

Applications must reach them no later than April 30, 2016.

Pietermaritzburg – A large donation to the UKZN Alumni Bursary Endowment Fund has completed the Edendale Indian Welfare Society’s purpose.

The society made a donation of more than R300 000 which was initially earmarked for the building of a school in Edendale. In 1981, the society made a modest investment of R12 000 for a school for poor pupils in Edendale. However, due to the Group Areas Act they were forced to move and the school was not built. That R12 000, invested carefully by the late treasurer Ahmed Shaik, grew and although the school was not built, the money is being donated towards education.

Dayanand Lachman is the only surviving member of the original founding members of the society and said he feels the “circle is now complete”.

“The donation to the UKZN Alumni Bursary Endowment Fund therefore completes the circle of philanthropic intent of a committed community who through hardship and commitment realised their higher purpose of helping others in need,” read a statement from UKZN.

The Edendale Indian Welfare Society started in 1933 specifically to build a school in Edendale. The nearest school at that time was in Plessislaer and with no transport, children had to walk to get there. In a previous report in The Witness in 2005, Shaik said the roads were gravel and winter was severe in those days, when frost was already on the ground by the end of May.

“Parents felt they had to do something to make it easier for their children to get an education,” Shaik had told The Witness.

Funds had been raised by employees of the Wicker Works factory in Edendale, Sutherlands Tannery in Plessislaer and at the Eddels shoe factory in Pietermaritzburg. Some sponsors were farmers who sold their produce at the market in the city. After the Group Areas Act, the society remained largely inactive until 1981. Shaik remained the treasurer for over 20 years and invested the money in a fixed deposit.

In 2005 the balance stood at R143 802,28. This year, with the balance at R307 306, it will be used to sponsor the study costs of a needy student from the Pietermaritzburg region.

The Alumni Bursary Endowment Fund is one of the premium funds administered by the university’s foundation trust. The fund is not at a level where it can start disbursing, and further funding is needed. “In the current context of the critical student funding needs, investment to the Alumni Bursary Endowment Fund will enable more learners from financially disadvantaged backgrounds to access higher learning,” read UKZN’s statement.

• kailene.pillay@witness.co.za

When 16 year old, Azile Nkabinde applied to the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) Thuthuka Bursary Fund, she never dreamed she would get a bursary – let alone become the first Thuthuka student to achieve a Top 10 spot in the Initial Test of Competence (ITC) examination, the first of two Qualifying Examinations university graduates must pass to become a Chartered Accountant [CA(SA)]. Today, she is breaking boundaries and proving that no matter where you start, any dream is possible with hard work and determination.

South Africa deals with many challenges, most significant among them are the challenges of poverty and unemployment. While there are a number of factors that conspire to keep people in poverty (including the place where you are born and the family which you are born into), this young, aspiring chartered accountant is proving that all this can change if you are given the resources and the requisite mentoring that you need to pursue your dreams.

Azile’s love for accounting started when she attended a SAICA Maths Development Camp at Durban’s Adams College in June of her Grade 11 year. Up until this point, she had wanted to be an engineer. But, after listening to stories from real life CAs(SA) about what their job entailed, she knew she wanted to become a CA(SA). ‘Besides,’ says Azile, ‘my mom always used to say you don’t look like an engineer – you look like an accountant.’

It was also at this camp that Azile came across the Thuthuka Bursary Fund.

During her final year at Ferrum High School in Newcastle, Azile knew there was no way her family could afford to send her to university. In fact, says Azile, at the time of her final matric exams her mother, a clerk at Newcastle Hospital, had managed to save enough for university registration but not the first year of tuition.

Her only hope was to be accepted as a recipient of one of the bursaries she had applied for.

Then she received the call that changed her life

The caller on the line informed Azile that she had been accepted as a Thuthuka Bursary candidate and would be able to study at the University of Pretoria. Azile’s dream of becoming a Chartered Accountant was coming true.

Five years later, Azile is on track to achieving her goal

Sitting behind a desk at the University of Pretoria’s Economic and Management Sciences Building, where Azile currently mentors other Thuthuka students as an Academic Trainee, you would never suspect that this confident, successful young lady had once been a shy girl with no idea how she would become a CA(SA).

Because, as Azile explains, ‘the CA(SA) journey is not an easy one.’

It takes a minimum of seven years to qualify. First, there is university – which comprises of a three-year undergraduate degree and a one-year postgraduate degree (Certificate in the Theory of Accounting or CTA). After graduating, aspiring CAs(SA) must then pass the ITC exam; complete a 36-month training contract and the professional programme; and pass the Assessment of Professional Competence final qualifying examination to realise their dream of qualifying as a CA(SA).

When asked if she ever felt like giving up, Azile bends her head and smiles ‘Yes, in CTA. You wake up in the morning thinking to yourself “but I have a degree, I could get a job”, “the work is so hard”, “I’m mentally stretched to my limits, I really could stop”. And while some days were bad, I kept motivating myself to carry on.’

Yet, she says, her willpower, the support from her ‘Thuthuka family’, plus the constant motivation of her mentors, really helped her stay on track to finish her CTA. Azile fondly recalls the words her mentor, Gottfried Rautenbach, used to motivate her: ‘Don’t be afraid to have BIG goals. If you don’t get to them, no one is going to know, but if you do achieve them everyone knows and it is good.’

These words kept her going and, in November 2015, Azile came second in her CTA class.

Today, Azile finds herself among the Top 10 ITC candidates in the country

‘We couldn’t be prouder of Azile. Achieving the number four spot in the latest ITC exam has made her the first Thuthuka Bursary Fund (TBF) student to ever make it into the Top 10,’ exclaims Chantyl Mulder, SAICA’s Senior Executive for Nation Building. ‘But she didn’t stop there. She also achieved more than 75% in the examination, which means she passed with Honours. This is an exceptional result for Azile and for SAICA’s TBF programme.’

‘For the past 14 years, Thuthuka has embarked on numerous initiatives to build and accelerate the pipeline of African and Coloured chartered accountants who are significantly under-represented in the profession. From a base of a mere 322 African and 222 Coloured CAs(SA) in 2002, these initiatives have helped take these numbers to 3 951 African and 1 351 Coloured CAs(SA) today. Now, with Azil’s phenomenal results, the impact these projects are having on transforming the profession is becoming increasingly evident,’ explains Mulder. ‘With so much achieved in such a short time, we cannot wait to see what happens next.’

Neither can Sonnette Smith, the Thuthuka Programme Manager at the University of Pretoria: ‘I started Thuthuka at this university about ten years ago and I’m just about to hand it over to someone else. Having Azile come in the Top 10 is the perfect way to leave the programme. She’s been a stunning student all the way along – so hard working. I’m so happy.’

In the meantime, while Azile applies herself to successfully completing the final requirements of the CA(SA) qualification process, she has the following to say to other aspiring CAs(SA): ‘Don’t be afraid to chase your goals and your dreams. The moment you set goals for yourself, you can start developing plans to achieve them. It’s been a great journey for me. It’s a great career path that you can do anything with.’

To the donors who help fund Thuthuka’s bursaries, Azile adds these heartfelt words. ‘Thank you for doing such an important job and investing in us as students.’

The winner will receive a bursary to study for a diploma in Media Practices to further their education worth R130 000 from Boston Media House.

The Sharks and The Sharks Academy will award three bursaries comprising a contract with The Sharks Academy and tuition bursary with one of its academic partners.

KEARSNEY’S Easter Rugby Festival kicks off this Thursday, promising exciting match-ups between some of the country’s outstanding schoolboy teams which don’t ordinarily play each other during the season.

Two schools that will be participating for the first time are Maritzburg College and Hoërskool Noord-Kaap from Kimberley. They will join Boksburg’s Dr EG Jansen, HTS Middelburg, the Eastern Cape’s Selborne College (East London), Dale College (King William’s Town) and Hoërskool Framesby (Port Elizabeth), SACS from Cape Town, as well as Glenwood High School and hosts, Kearsney College, from KZN.

The three play days are Thursday, 24, Saturday, 26 and Monday, 28 March.

This year, Kearsney celebrates its 95th anniversary and headmaster, Elwyn van den Aardweg, said the school was proud to be hosting the ninth successive Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival, as well as the U18 Coca-Cola Youth Weeks (combined Craven Week and Academy Week) with 44 teams during July.

“The festival provided a wonderful opportunity for rugby enthusiasts from around the country to enjoy the Easter weekend in the company of rugby players and supporters in an environment and climate that complements the experience,” said Van den Aardweg.

Van den Aardweg added that the festival always impressed with the exciting quality of rugby displayed by competitive youngsters, while at the same time providing the top players a springboard from which to launch their professional rugby careers.

Kicking off each day will be a match between primary school teams, Highbury Preparatory, Pelham Senior Primary, Umhlali Preparatory and the KZNRU IBUTHO/Mark Godefroy U13 development team, followed by the five senior first XV fixtures.

At the end of the last game of the festival, talent scouts and selectors from The Sharks and The Sharks Academy will award three bursaries comprising a contract with The Sharks Academy and tuition bursary with one of its academic partners.

Participating players and the public can leave new or good condition second-hand rugby kit and clothing in designated collection bins at the main field as part of the ‘Boots and Balls’ outreach initiative. These will be handed over to the KZNRU Development Programme during the closing ceremony.

Gate entrance to the festival is R50 per vehicle or R20 for pedestrians. Ample secure parking will be available, as well as food and refreshment outlets and a KidZone for those wanting to enjoy a day of entertaining rugby.

Go to www.kearsney.com to view the fixtures list.