Category: Bursaries

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.

Two suspects were arrested after allegedly petrol bombing a guard post at the FET College offices situated in Haig Avenue.

According to police a group of roughly 20 students, unhappy about their schooling fees, set out to display their grievance at the Nkangala FET offices on Monday, March 7.
The offices are situated on the second floor of the office block, at the time two guards were stationed at the gate.

“The group arrived and informed the Nkangala FET employees to remove their vehicles from the parking lot as they wanted to set fire to the building,” said a witness on scene.

The two guards overheard their intentions and immediately closed the gate to the premises preventing the students from gaining entry.

The guard post structure that burnt to the ground at the Nkangala FET College offices.

One of the students was in possession of a petrol bomb, another helped him to light it, the student then threw the bomb at the guard post structure setting it ablaze, it took little time before it burnt to the ground.
Police arrived on the scene and the students scattered, they were however able to arrest the two suspects who were pointed out by witnesses, and believed to have being involved in the bombing, Mbuso Libazi and Ndumiso Mahlangu were arrested and charged for arson and malicious damage to property.

“One of the two suspects is said to be a leader of the EFF at the campus and the other a member of the South African Student Congress (Sasco), both will re-appear in court today,” said Capt Eddie Hall, Witbank Communications, on March 15.

Capt Hall stated that since the arrest there have been no further incidents of violence at the campus or the offices.

“It is the students’ constitutional right to protest their dissatisfaction with regards to the campus or fees however when students decide to take their actions towards violence or crime, by committing damage to property or arson, the police will act accordingly and arrest the culprits and charge them accordingly,” said Capt Hall.

In a previous article featured in WITBANK NEWS of January 29, written by Solly Maseko, Sasco claims that while some universities and colleges in the country are engulfed in students protest, all is well at their college. Since last year when the students were involved in the #FeesMustFall campaign a lot has taken place since however.

“We have to be intellectual about it because college management are intellectual people. We cannot be seen vandalising the property of the college. We are busy helping students with their registrations. If we came across any challenges, we intervene not like other student organisations acting like hooligans vandalising our school property. We always do something that will benefit the students not as a show off,” stated Sasco.

Mr Collen Sedibe, EFF Mpumalanga chairperson was contacted for comment regarding the incident yet failed to respond in time for print. There was also no comment from Mr Ntuthuko Makhombothi, Sasco president nor Mr Nhlamulo Mabasa, Sasco office manager on the matter.

The college itself was unable to comment in time for print.

Johannesburg – At least R650 million in student aid has been wasted, according to the DA.

This was the money left unused by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) at the end of the financial year this month, said DA MP Professor Belinda Bozzoli.

The lack of funds for students who can’t afford varsity fees caused the Fees Must Fall protests last year, which spilt over into the current disruptions in tertiary institutions.

The information emerged in a reply to a DA question in Parliament by Minister of Higher Education and Training Blade Nzimande.

The minister indicated that R650m had not been spent for 2015/16; R742m was unspent in 2014/15, and R641m, R179m and R477m in each of the preceding financial years. Nzimande said the money left over was rolled over each year and used to fund late and resubmitted claims.

“The continued inefficiency that has come to characterise the National Student Financial Aid Scheme can no longer be tolerated. It has become clear that neither NSFAS nor the minister of higher education grasp the seriousness of issues currently facing us or simply do not care for the needs of our students,” said Bozzoli.

“It is unfathomable that while 8.2 million South Africans are without work, young people are being denied opportunities to study because the department cannot get the available funding to those who need it.”

Bozzoli called it a slap in the face for poor students who desperately needed the money to pay for their studies.

And it’s not the first time, she said Bozzoli. “In the last financial year, almost R750m was unutilised.”

NSFAS allocates funds to universities, which Nzimande said could be part of the problem. “This could result in a situation where some universities have not spent their allocation and only notify NSFAS of this late in the financial year, at which stage it may not be possible to fund other students, as the academic year has ended,” the minister said.

He said the appropriateness of this formula and model was one of the factors that had resulted in the new student-centred model, where the money follows the student rather than the institution.

Bozzoli said recent replies to parliamentary questions showed Nzimande did not know how many students were in NSFAS’s “missing middle” bracket, how much it would cost to fund them, and how much library resources or outsourcing would cost this year.

“The minister is not in a position to provide the leadership the sector requires in this time of crisis, if he does not even know how much key cost-drivers will cost,” she said.

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The Star

East Coast Lions has assisted four pupils in 2016 with bursaries totalling to R70, 000 towards their tertiary education. The bursary recipients were were Zamanguni Myeni and Mondli Dladla of Sinethezekile High School in Jozini as well as Luvisha Roopnarain of Greenbury Secondary and Trisha Chunder of Woodview Secondary.

The bursary awards were presented at a recent Lions fundraising dinner held at the Jewish Club at which a further R110, 000 was pledged towards the East Coast Lions Bursary Fund. The recipients all excelled in their Senior Certificate Examinations producing ‘A’ aggregates and were accepted to study at universities but had no means to finance their studies.

An ecstatic Luvisha Roopnarian said, “I was accepted for BCom at UKZN but I had no idea how I was going to pay for my studies. I cannot believe I am now a first year student.”

Zamanguni shared that it was her dream to become a pharmacist but didn’t know how it was going to happen. Nonetheless, she knew that academic success starts with good matric results. “I will always be grateful to East Coast Lions for taking a huge burden off our shoulders. Now I can focus on my studies without worrying about my fees,” said a very grateful Zamanguni, who is from a rural village in the Umkhanyakude District.

Trisha Chunder will be pursuing a teaching degree specialising in high school mathematics and Mondli will be studying Pharmacy at UKZN. The most relieved at the announcement of the bursaries had to be the parents. These are all single parents struggling to provide for their families in the depressed economy.

Three past recipients of East Coast Lions bursaries are already on their way to completing their BAcc, BEd and BSc degrees. The students commit to ‘paying it forward’ by participating in Lions service activities and assisting other students in need. East Coast Lions President, Mr Rajan Naidoo stressed the importance of investing in our youth, especially in the scarce skills areas, as a means to uplifting our communities. He also expressed his gratitude to all the sponsors who annually donate so generously towards the Lions Bursary Fund and stated that, “This has changed the lives of so many young adults and has enabled them to fulfill their dreams”

The East Coast Lions is part of Lions International, a service organisation with over 1.35 million members worldwide in over 208 countries (www.lionsclubs.org). In addition to helping financially needy pupils, East Coast Lions is also engaged in numerous service related projects involving feeding schemes, assisting abused women, clothing programs, etc. Interested donors and sponsors are welcome to contact the President, Mr Rajan Naidoo on 031-305-2253.