WESTONARIA - Independent mining group Sibanye has pledged its commitment to tertiary education by investing R30m to the University of Johannesburg (UJ) and the University of the Witwatersrand (WITS).
This follows a previous investment of R25m to both institutions made in 2014.
According to Sibanye, the central aim of the donations is to enable both Universities to uphold the existing high quality teaching and learning standards, support increased research and innovation and provide sufficient capital for development and maintenance of world class facilities.
The investments will also partly be extended to expansive university projects aimed at improving the lives of students, through greater community engagement and student support.
Sibanye’s contribution to broader education and learning extends beyond the current donation.
An amount of 49 million in bursaries and internships were invested by Sibanye in 2016.
An additional R432 was committed to invest over the next five years to ensure the access to tertiary education for 640 young South Africans entering the mining industry.
Despite the current economic climate, Sibanye asserts their commitment to their investment in education, a component which they believe will be crucial for the successful development of South Africa.
“The mining industry is a critical component of the South African economy and has a significant role to play in delivering future economic growth and employment. The provision of high quality education is a vital requirement if we are to grow the economy and as a company, we are aware that our core purpose – our mining improve lives – can only be realised, if we continue to build the pipeline of young talent needed to lead our industry into a bright future", said Sibanye CEO, Neal Froneman.