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Anglo American Platinum Launches R35 Million Student Debt Relief Programme

20 September, 2022

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/

For further information, please contact:

Media Investors
Nomonde Ndwalaza
Tel: +27 (0) 66 311 1133
[email protected]
Emma Chapman
Tel: +27 (0)76 480 1570
[email protected]

Application details

  • Applications close on the 7th of October at 5pm
  • Debt is not older than two years
  • Applies to any registered higher education institution (universities, colleges and TVETs)
  • Applies to any field of study
  • To apply: Visit the website and complete the application form you will find at: https://tshikululu.org.za/aap-tuition-support/

Terms and conditions

  • This programme is funded by Anglo American Platinum and is administered on the company’s behalf by Tshikululu Social Investments
  • Applicants are chosen on the above criteria and on a first come, first serve basis
  • Once-off payments will be made directly to the Higher Learning Institution
  • Anglo American employees may not apply
  • Should you have any queries or are having challenges with the online portal, please email [email protected]

Notes to editors:

Anglo American Platinum Limited is a member of the Anglo American plc Group and is a leading primary producer of platinum group metals. The company is listed on the Johannesburg Securities Exchange (JSE). Its mining, smelting and refining operations are based in South Africa. Elsewhere in the world, the Group owns Unki Platinum Mine in Zimbabwe. Anglo American Platinum is committed to the highest standards of safety and continues to make a meaningful and sustainable difference in the development of the communities around its operations.

www.angloamericanplatinum.com

Anglo American is a leading global mining company, and our products are the essential ingredients in almost every aspect of modern life. Our portfolio of world-class competitive operations, with a broad range of future development options, provides many of the future-enabling metals and minerals for a cleaner, greener, more sustainable world and that meet the fast growing every day demands of billions of consumers. With our people at the heart of our business, we use innovative practices and the latest technologies to discover new resources and to mine, process, move and market our products to our customers – safely and sustainably.

As a responsible producer of diamonds (through De Beers), copper, platinum group metals, premium quality iron ore and steelmaking coal, and nickel – with crop nutrients in development – we are committed to being carbon neutral across our operations by 2040. More broadly, our Sustainable Mining Plan commits us to a series of stretching goals to ensure we work towards a healthy environment, creating thriving communities and building trust as a corporate leader. We work together with our business partners and diverse stakeholders to unlock enduring value from precious natural resources for the benefit of the communities and countries in which we operate, for society as a whole, and for our shareholders. Anglo American is re-imagining mining to improve people’s lives.

www.angloamerican.com