Durban — The Motsepe Foundation has donated R30 million to 26 university Student Representative Councils (SRCs) towards student registration, fees and historical debt.
In a statement on Sunday, Motsepe Foundation co-founder and CEO Dr Precious Moloi-Motsepe announced a donation of R30 million to SRCs.
The donation will be allocated towards alleviating student challenges surrounding registration, fees and historical debt.
During the Universities in Dialogue meeting held at the Sandton Convention Centre, student leaders from 26 universities shared their concerns and solutions to youth unemployment and the uncertain Future of Work.
The deliberations revealed the vital role of collaboration between the private sector and academic institutions to drive meaningful research endeavours and address the skills and information mismatch that exists in the labour market.
“We must not merely reflect on these insights but pledge ourselves to actions that will dismantle barriers, inspire hope, and pave pathways of opportunity,” Moloi-Motsepe said.
The R30 million donation by the Motsepe Foundation hopes to encourage support from other private and non-profit stakeholders, who stand to benefit from an educated and skilled youth population.
In November last year, the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) received R20 million to assist in providing debt relief for students.
The money came from the Moses Kotane Institute (MKI) and the newly-established merSETA Skills Development Fund which helps ease the problems of skills gaps and the student debt burden within KZN.
Other higher education institutions, including the Mangosuthu University of Technology, Durban University of Technology, and the University of Zululand, will also benefit.
The university said the debt relief assistance is a beacon of hope, particularly for students from historically disadvantaged backgrounds, helping alleviate financial constraints and open doors to brighter futures.
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