Mayor calls for support of student relief trust fund

eTHEKWINI Municipality mayor, Cllr James Nxumalo calls on business leaders to pledge their support towards a Tertiary Student Relief Trust Fund.
He launched the fund at the Royal Hotel on Friday, 26 June.

Some R2.3m has been set aside for 2016 student registrations and 380 disadvantaged students have benefited thus far.
“The fund will assist students from impoverished families in the municipal area, and who cannot afford basic registration fees or have outstanding academic tuition fees due to their backgrounds. This is the best investment the municipality can make to assist in changing the lives of youth and pulling them out of the cycle of poverty,” said Nxumalo.

This initiative is aligned to the eThekwini Long Term Development Framework and Human Resource Development Framework which seeks to ensure that the city meaningfully invests in developing people.

“This is one of the initiatives that will contribute to the education and skills development of our youth who will ultimately contribute to the wellbeing of our economy.” said Nxumalo.

The fund was launched under the theme, ‘Changing people’s lives through radical economic transformation and accelerated service delivery’.
One of the beneficiaries, Mndeni Gumede from Inanda Township said the fund has helped him to enrol for a national diploma in public management at Durban University of Technology.

The CEO of MMK Engineering, Julius Mkhize who also pledged his contribution to the fund said he was assisted by the municipality to enrol for a BSC civil engineering degree. “Passion and dedication is what drove me to be where I am now today. The background is nothing if you know what you want to be – education is key. Before I pursued civil engineering, I was a taxi conductor from Isipingo to Umkomaas,” said Mkhize.

For students to be considered, they need to meet the following criteria:

• Proof of acceptance or registration with any public further education institution must be produced.

• Proof from relevant further education institution confirming that the student has not been allocated financial support by any other sources.

• Individuals who are not working or in receipt of any income.

• Students must provide necessary documentation justifying their need, including proof of all income sources of their parents or guardians, which will be accompanied by a certified affidavit from the commissioner of oaths.

• Provide receipt of applications with supporting documents and a further verification will be undertaken.

• Academic potential/performance as proven by the latest academic reports is taken into consideration.

• Students must be permanent residents of eThekwini Municipality and provide proof of whether parents are deceased or pensioners.

Organisations willing to pledge their support of the Mayoral Student Relief Fund can make deposits in the following bank account: Standard Bank: Tertiary Students Relief Fund; account: Business
Current Account; account number: 050-682-830; branch code: 040-0260.

The reference number is 100-062-071.