Triveni Turbines, in collaboration with Eskom Rotek Industries, recently awarded 18 University of Pretoria (UP) students with bursaries worth R1.6 million in total.

“Our company believes in youth development, because we believe that the youth we assist today with bursaries will help build our economy and the country,” said Christo Du Plooy, Managing Director and Regional Head of Triveni Turbines. “It is a great pleasure to have collaborated with UP and Eskom Rotek Industries to make this possible for the students.”

Du Plooy further indicated that this collaboration is Triveni Turbines’ way of giving back to communities.

“Collaborations are not easy, but here we are today as organisations working together to make someone’s dream a reality,” he added. “To the students, remain passionate about what you do, and do your best to pass and get good grades. Never stop learning, always equip yourselves and don’t give up – push through the hurdles.”

Addressing the awardees and attendees, Bongani Madlala, a representative from Eskom Rotek Industries’ Supplier Development and Localisation unit, said Eskom is grateful to be part of the initiative.

“This is not about ticking a box; it is important to us to help out,” he said. “Eskom creates opportunities to fund students, like we are doing today; we also expose students and graduates to practical work. Today you are the beneficiaries of Eskom’s skills development and we will see you through until you finish your course.”

In his address, Deputy Dean of UP’s Law Faculty, Professor Charles Maimela, indicated that it is not the role and responsibility of UP to raise funds or secure funding; its core business is to teach, do research and be involved in community engagement. However, he added, there’s a need for agility and collaboration with different stakeholders with an aim to make a difference in the lives of students.

“Your contributions are immensely appreciated not only by the University but our students as well,” Prof Maimela said. “We are all grateful for this collaboration and the funding you’ve shared. Your funding helps us to make our students’ dreams a reality.”

First-year BA Languages student Nkosithembekile Duba said she felt relieved after receiving the news that she had been awarded a bursary.

“I didn’t know how my financial situation was going to be sorted out had this bursary not kicked in,” she said. “It gave me so much hope; now I can freely focus on my studies without worrying about fees.”

“Thank you to the bursar for investing in my studies,” said third-year BA Law student Shantel Mampa. “I had given up, thinking that I would spend the year without funding and not knowing how I would settle the acquired fee debt. It still feels surreal.”

“Seeing the realisation of our efforts in a successful donation handover event highlights the profound impact of our collective work,” said Motlalepula Setumisho, Administrative Control Officer at UP’s Financial Aid Office. “The joint efforts of the Financial Aid office and the Fundraising Office lead to more efficient administration of donations. By working closely together, we can ensure that the process from securing a donation to its allocation is seamless. This efficiency not only benefits the students who receive assistance without unnecessary delays, but also reassures donors that their contributions are being handled with care and precision, encouraging ongoing support.”

Ella Nyakunu, Senior Development Specialist, added, “This symbiotic relationship between Financial Aid and Fundraising makes UP very agile when it comes to meeting donor needs and has given us a competitive edge. Ideally, donors would like to fund different universities but, in most instances, UP ends up getting the bulk of the funding due to the collaboration between these two offices.”