AfriForum Youth victory: Free State top 100 matrics receive their bursaries

AfriForum Youth today celebrates the victory that the Free State’s top 100 matrics of 2021 have finally received their promised bursaries. This follows after AfriForum Youth already started taking legal action in April this year to demand that the Free State provincial bursary office pay out the bursaries that the Free State Premier, Sisi Ntombela, promised to the top achievers.

Thanks to AfriForum Youth who intervened, seven top achievers were able to receive bursaries after struggling for months. AfriForum Youth managed to resolve this issue in less than a month.

“We are delighted that AfriForum Youth’s continued pressure could lead to such a positive outcome for these top achievers. Apart from the sweet victory that the deserving students can now receive their bursaries, we hope that this fight sets the precedent that political leaders keep their promises, especially if it affects the future of our young people,” says René van der Vyver, spokesperson for AfriForum Youth. .

The students whose bursaries had not been paid by the end of April further struggled to receive correspondence from the bursary office and approached AfriForum Youth for assistance. The organisation assisted eight of the top Free State matrics by writing letters of attorney to the Premier to demand that the bursaries be paid out. After no response was received, AfriForum Youth threatened to approach the High Court if the bursaries were not paid out within 30 days. On 29 June, AfriForum Youth was notified by the Free State Provincial Bursary Office that the bursaries will be paid out. The students informed the youth organisation this week that they had received their bursaries.

“Many thanks to AfriForum Youth for their help with our bursaries. We are very relieved that our bursaries have been paid. We are privileged to have these bursaries and appreciate everyone’s contribution to our future,” says Maryke du Pisanie, one of the students who was helped by AfriForum Youth.

“I can now breathe easier again and focus 100% on my studies,” says Mahike Kilian, who was also assisted by the youth organisation.