Anglo American Platinum has launched a R35 million debt relief programme aimed at assisting qualifying students who reside in the company’s host communities to receive their qualifications or continue their tertiary studies. Eligible applicants will need to have completed their studies in any field, or currently be studying and have an academic record, and have student debt that is not older than two years.
The programme falls under Anglo American Platinum’s R400-million Covid-19 and unrest response initiative, which was launched in response to the negative economic impact of the pandemic, as well as the July riots last year. The programme is aimed at directly addressing issues such as poverty, poor education outcomes, and high levels of unemployment. The focus is on education and skills, health and wellbeing, and water and sanitation. It is in addition to the community bursary scheme launched earlier this year which was valued at R20 million and has had 75 beneficiaries.
Yvonne Mfolo, executive head of corporate affairs and sustainable impact said: “A significant number of tertiary students in South Africa cannot graduate annually because they owe student fees. This exacerbates our youth unemployment crisis. Often young people, unable to pay their student fees, cannot get their qualification documents, which in turn leads to them not being able to apply for jobs. This debt relief programme is a simple way to get youth from our host communities out of that trap and allow them to go forward and build careers for themselves.”
Mfolo says the company’s efforts will help ease the socio-economic burdens experienced and to create thriving communities, in line with our Sustainable Mine Plan. “This student debt relief programme was born out of a need to address the combined socio-economic impact of the pandemic and the unrest last year which saw poverty increase significantly. Poor rural education outcomes and high rates of unemployment mean there isn’t much hope of changing the impact without help,” she says.
Students who may apply for the debt relief programme must be South African citizens who reside in Anglo American Platinum’s host communities that surround its operations including: Twickenham Project near Burgersfort, Mogalakwena Complex near Mokopane, Amandelbult Complex between Thabazimbi and Northam, Mototolo Complex near Steelpoort, Rustenburg Process Division operations, and the Polokwane Metallurgical Complex.
Applications close on the 7th of October at 5pm
To apply, go to: https://tshikululu.org.za/aap-tuition-support/