Of the R10-million donation, R5 million has been earmarked for emergency fund bursaries, while R5 180 000 will go to SU projects, including the Matie Community Service, Botanical Garden, Law Clinic and University Choir. The emergency fund bursaries will be awarded in the course of 2018 according to the guidelines of the donation to deserving Afrikaans speaking under- and postgraduate students who qualify for them.

“It is always gladdening to receive donations that can help us make a real difference – even more so in our Centenary year – and especially from one of our donors who, as it were, ensured the existence of SU,” says Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Prof Wim de Villiers.

“The long-standing relationship between SU and the Jan Marais National Funds will always be very dear to us. Our partnership dates back over 100 years to 1915, when Jan Marais – SU’s first official donor – bequeathed £100 000 officially to establish Stellenbosch University.”

The HJMNF annually donates over R25 million to university programmes, schools, hospitals, culture projects, law clinics and various other welfare organisations and projects especially in Stellenbosch. Through its involvement with, among others, the Klein Karoo National Arts Festival (KKNK) and support to performing artists, the Fund has extended its aid across the country.

According to Prof de Villiers, the University receives a powerful boost through this generous donation by the HJMNF. “Donors play an important role in ensuring that SU remains an established institution with an excellent performance history in all three its core functions. They help us to provide quality higher education and deliver world-class graduates who are ready and able to assist in building a strong South African economy.”

Prof de Villiers stresses the critical importance of bursary funding and says it remains a priority at SU to provide bursaries to financially needy students, despite government’s announcement in 2017 that all first-year university students from households earning less than R350 000 per year will receive financing.

“We still need to face the reality of a shortage of funds for students who do not qualify for government assistance. These are students who are in their second year of study, the so-called missing middle students, with a household income from R600 000, as well as postgraduate students,” he adds.