POLOKWANE – A total of 40 disadvantaged students will not have to worry about university registration and tuition fees following the handover of bursaries worth R1 million by the Polokwane mayor, Freddy Greaver on Friday.
The handover ceremony took place at the Peter Mokaba Sports Complex.
The bursaries were awarded to students who had applied to the Mayor’s Bursary Fund.
According to Greaver, more than 400 students applied for the bursaries, but the money raised for the fund could only accommodate 40.
“Poverty stands in the way of students’ success. The Polokwane Municipality is still continuing to fund students to further their studies so they can live their dreams. The municipality contributed R200 000 to the bursary fund,” said Greaver.
“In the 2013 academic year, 56 students received much-needed assistance from the fund, but one student dropped out.
“I still need to sit down with that student and question the decision.”
Greaver said the money for the bursaries was not sourced from the municipal budget, but was raised by businesses and the Mayoral Golf Day. “I usually milk every business owner who comes to my office for money for the needy children,” he said.
He said Standard Bank was generous for a second time by contributing more than R900 000 to the fund.
Joseph Khosa of Standard Bank thanked the municipality for giving the bank an opportunity to invest in young people.
“Everyone who received a bursary should work hard and make their families proud. I believe that everyone who benefitted from the Mayor’s Bursary Fund will one day give back to their communities,” he said.
