A chance at a better future for Siza bursary recipients

Now in its eighth year, Siza Water’s bursary fund continues to promote community upliftment within its concession area.

Six students studying across a wide variety of fields and in universities across the country, are the current recipients of the funding which is inclusive of full tuition costs and books.

Shivaadon Poonan (Shakaskraal), who is studying engineering at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, and Mandisa Shabangu (Nkobongo), who studies accountancy at the University of Zululand, are set to graduate at the end of this year.

They will become the 6th and 7th graduates of the programme, which has so far spent R1.471-million on the bursaries.

“We are proud of our programme and the students who have been through it. We are lucky to be able to select the academic cream of the crop within iLembe and their results have shown that,” said Siza Water managing director, Shyam Misra.

“I was a bursary student myself, so I understand the pressures that come with it. To the new faces here today, I urge you to grasp that challenge and opportunity with both hands,” he said.

For Poonan and Shabangu, 2023 represents the culmination of four years of hard work.

“I want to express my gratitude to Siza, who have also made me a better engineer by allowing me to focus on real-world technical aspects. Could you imagine having R200 000 of debt as you enter the workplace? This programme has changed my life,” said Poonan.

“When I graduate, not if, it will be a very proud moment for my entire family. I want to become a chartered accountant, the first in my family,” said Shabangu.

Both were congratulated by councillors present, as well as iLembe deputy-mayor James van Whye who praised the programme.

“We need to rely on this generation to come up with new ideas and solutions to the issues facing our country. Education is the best way to do that,” he said.

Siza focuses its bursaries on fields of study that mirror its business, including engineering, environmental management and accounting.

The remaining four students, Nduduzo Ngidi, Lucky Ngwane, Mbalenhle Mhlongo and Shaylan Chetty, are all pursuing studies within those fields.

During their period at university, they will also have the opportunity to undertake work experience at Siza.

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