The North-West University (NWU) Student Representative Council (SRC) has received a generous donation of R1,3 million from the Motsepe Foundation.

The gift is earmarked to address the pressing issue of historical student debt that so often prevents students from registering for the next academic year. The donation came at an opportune time for the more than 250 students who will benefit during registration at the NWU for 2023.

“At the start of the academic year, it is urgent that we enable access and offer support to students beginning or completing their studies or graduating,” wrote Dr Precious Moloi-Motsepe, founder and CEO of the Motsepe Foundation, to the NWU.

“We are beyond thrilled at the receipt of the donation!” the principal and vice-chancellor of the NWU, Prof Bismark Tyobeka, said. “The NWU greatly appreciates and commends the Motsepe Foundation for recognising that, now more than ever, we need all organs of society to work together to support the future of this country, which rests on today’s youth.”

“We hope that many more partners will come on board and support us in our call to make education accessible to deserving students who come from underserved communities,” he added.

The SRC has equitably allocated the funds across the three NWU campuses, as well to the Unit for Open Distance Learning.

Yikumba Andreas, president of the NWU SRC, echoed the sentiments of Prof Tyobeka. “The donation was much needed. It came as a huge relief! There are many students who require funding and cannot access it due to systemic challenges facing South Africa as a country,” he said. “This includes challenges in the provision of free education and a lack of funding for the missing middle.”

“Thanks to the Motsepe Foundation, students do not have to resort to dropping out because of insufficient funding now. We take our hats off to the Motsepe Foundation!” Andreas said. “We as students encourage all funding institutions to come on board and help curb the national crisis of insufficient funding.”