Top Matriculants awarded R2 000 bursaries

A good Samaritan has donated R10 000 towards helping top achievers in last year’s Matric exams to register at various tertiary institutions.
Sibusiso Thwala, a local entrepreneur, presented R2 000 each to five deserving Umzinyathi District Matriculants who, although they achieved good results, could not afford registration fees.
“It is a pleasure to assist these learners who, despite coming from disadvantaged backgrounds, put in hard work and achieved.
“I fully understand the frustration of not being able to come up with registration fees; this is the reason why I have decided to plough back,” Mr Thwala said.
Mr Thwala is known locally as a benefactor of various charities and feeding schemes.
Vincent Majola, Umzinyathi District Education Manager, said at the hand-over ceremony that, “Mr Thwala’s gesture will do much to encourage the class of 2014 to work hard to become top of their class and qualify for the bursary scheme.”
Sanele Mlotshwa, Endumeni Education Circuit Manager, encouraged learners to ensure that they apply timeously at tertiary institutions ‘to prevent further frustrations’.
One of the top learners who received a R2 000 bursary, Andile Nxumalo (who wrote Matric at Nhlalakahle School), earned the respect of those at the ceremony when he related how he was able to pass Grade 12 thanks to his granny, who used her state pension money to buy him a school uniform, and ensured he had a meal every day.
The other four recipients of the bursaries were not at the ceremony, as they had already left to study.
Schools that qualified for the scheme included Nhlalakahle, Boschkloof, Maceba, Idlamadoda and Langazela.