(From Left to Right Simphiwe Nanise COO of MIT, Engineering Award Winner, Lerato Semetse and Mary Bomela, CEO of MIC)

THE National Union Mineworkers JB Marks Education Trust Fund said it will continue to support deprived students through their education. The trust fund spokesperson, Jako Mokgosi said the fund also assists graduates to enter the mining, energy and construction industries and other disciplines.

“We have shored up graduates from institutions of higher learning institutions. Some of them are qualified to work in disciplines such as engineering, mining, commerce, communications and medicine. When the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) was established in 1982, a huge number of its members were illiterate.

“Through the Mineworkers Investment Trust (MIT), the JB Marks Education Trust Fund was put in place to educate dependants of NUM members to study towards any qualification of their choice. This comes with no obligation to pay back the fund once their studies are completed,” Mokgosi said.

He further said those who graduated are serving to build a better South Africa. Mokgosi highlighted that engineers among them keep the wheels of industry turning while those in the construction industry create the infrastructure needed to support the modern economy.

“We provide assistance to those their parents/guardians are members of NUM. The JB Marks Trust Fund ensures that the bursary applications are sent out in March of each year. The applications will be captured onto our system. This will enables us to keep record of all the applications.

“After the applicants have been captured, then the trust gives priority to the students with the highest marks. The dependants of the mineworkers who are retrenched or deceased are then chosen. And finally, the rest are selected by their choice of course,” he said.

Mokgosi said it was imperative to assist students as their parents have worked durably. He added that everyone needs to take a stand and play a crucial role in equipping the leaders of tomorrow.

He added that they understand the importance of education being accessible to those who need it. Mokgosi said NUM and the MIT created the fund because many black miners were illiterate and could not afford to put their children through universities.

“It is a great opportunity for other organisations to implement the same system to assist those graduates in need. We award 200 bursaries annually and have had over 1000 graduates to date. Ninety two tertiary students were honoured at this year’s 7th JB Marks Education Trust Fund Awards which took place at Emperors Palace in Johannesburg recently.

“Of the 92 students who graduated with essential qualifications, nine of them achieved top honours and additional awards for Outstanding Academic performance in the various categories.

One of the beneficiaries, Lerato Semetse from Kanana Location, in Orkney completed her National Diploma in Engineering Metallurgy. She is studying towards her postgraduate studies (B-Tech) at Wits University.

“Education is very expensive nowadays, so being raised by a single parent is a disadvantaged. However, JB Marks Education Trust Fund came in handy. We need to come together to address poverty, inequality and unemployment.

“I also want to encourage students amid the #FeesMustFall campaign to refrain from burning public properties. We need free education and let us not be blindfolded,” Semetse said.

She said all stakeholders must come forward and address this issue. Semetse said South Africa is a young democratic country and justice imbalances are at the centre stage.

Mineworkers Investments Trust (MIT) COO, Simphiwe Nanise said: “There is no easy way to achieve success unless you apply yourself to the task at hand. All of the graduates have done just that.”- Newsnote