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07 February 2020 | Story Xolisa Mnukwa | Photo Sonia Small
T-systems funding
Opening the doors of opportunity – TSSA allocated R2,4 million in bursary funding for 200 UFS students.


It is no secret that higher education institutions all over South Africa are plagued with the burden of current and historical student debt, leaving many hopeful students with the risk of financial exclusion. T-Systems South Africa (TSSA) has contributed a substantial amount of R2,4 million to fund a total of 200 students at the University of the Free State (UFS) in order to address ‘skills shortages’ in South Africa.

TSSA, a local unit of T-Systems International – a subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom – is invested in capitalising on South African expertise where innovation and intellectual property of a global (Information and Communications Technology) ICT provider is involved. The company strives to transform their clients and South Africa as a whole by providing innovative ICT solutions that work, in South Africa and for South Africa.

The company aims to endorse inclusive transformation in South Africa through the promotion and implementation of skills and enterprise development, as well as job creation. This forms part of the company’s National Development Plan for 2030 that envisions the elimination of poverty and reduced inequality.

Kovsie Alumni Trust Investment

Through its corporate social-responsibility wing called the Nation Building Initiative, T-Systems identified the University of the Free State after being contacted by the Kovsie Alumni Trust (KAT). 

KAT identified this opportunity as a call for the university to aid the advancement of students through initiatives such as the Integrated Transformation Plan (ITP), which was first launched in 2017. The ITP aims to utilise the university’s core functions (routed in teaching and learning, research, and engaged scholarship) to train and mould students into globally competitive graduates, which essentially also build towards skills and enterprise development, together with job creation. 

“The contribution of funding from T-Systems enabled us to empower our honours students by paying their outstanding university debt for 2019.  This has had a significant impact on the lives of many of our honours students who will be able to enrol for master’s programmes or seek employment without the burden of university debt,” says Professor Corli Witthuhn, UFS Vice-Rector: Research, Innovation and Internationalisation. 

“The University of the Free State is looking forward to partnering with T-Systems in 2020 in order to ensure continued opportunities for our students to further their education.”


Addressing a skills shortage in South Africa

Kovsie students completing honours studies in fields such as technology, human resources, and marketing as well as qualifications routed in accounting and finance, were given preference for the bursary. Other senior students required a pass mark of 60% or more to qualify for the bursary. TSSA paid off the university debt of students selected in 2019, and they had the opportunity to reapply in 2020. The UFS Alumni office facilitated the process. 

In 2020, students from all study years will be considered for the bursary, including matriculants who are entering university for the first time.  

Dineo Molefe , Managing Director at TSSA, says: “T-Systems has always invested in education by running a number of developmental initiatives, among others its ICT Academy – which provides free learnerships, internship programmes, including a learnership for disabled people as well as the flagship Hazyview Digital Learning Centre, which has become a unique rural nearshoring success story.

“All of this is earmarked to address the serious shortage of ICT skills – and by developing those skills, we not only address an industry problem but also contribute to employment opportunities in South Africa.”

News Archive

Official opening of Faculty of Health Sciences Rural Community Initiative
2017-01-01

Description: Karla Mostert Tags: Mail & Guardian, 200 Young South Africans, Candice Thikeson, Karla Mostert, Lerato Machetela, Mandela Rhodes Scholar, Thapelo Mokoatsi

Ribbon cutting, Prof van Zyl and Ms du Plessis
Venter (community member)

The Faculty of Health Sciences of the University of the Free State (UFS) has, as part of its commitment to student and community development, established a student residence in the town of Trompsburg in the Kopanong Local municipality, Xhariep District municipality in the Southern Free State. The Faculty officially opened the Faculty of Health Sciences Rural Community Initiative on 14 and 15 June 2017. The memorial plaque was unveiled by Prof Gert van Zyl (Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences) and Prof Francis Petersen (Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Free State)

The importance of the residence

The goal of the ‘Kopanang le fodise – Unite to heal’ programme is to develop a community-centered collaborative framework for sustainable, holistic healthcare and social development incorporated in the curricula of the Faculty.

Background of the project

During 2016 a total of 324 fourth-year students of the Faculty have each spend at least a week in interprofessional groups in primary healthcare facilities in the Kopanong municipality on a Community Based Education, Interprofessional Education (CBE-IPE) platform in Trompsburg and Springfontein.

To facilitate student rural placement the former Midway guesthouse currently includes seven (7) facilitator units with on suite bathrooms, two (2) fully equipped lecture facilities, a recreation room and a library with computers and internet access. The newly developed student residence has 10 apartments that can each accommodate six (6) individuals. A housemaster resides on the premises and acts as manager of the facility. All areas of the residence are Wifi covered and 24h security service is in place.

The ceremony was attend by the following partners

University of the Free State (UFS)

Rector and Vice Chancellor of the University of the Free State, Prof Francis Petersen.
Members of the UFS council, Dr Vinger and Dr Swart
Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, Prof van Zyl.
The Head of the School of Allied Health Professions, Dr van Vuuren.
The Head of the School of Medicine, Prof Kruger.
Faculty from the Faculty of Health Sciences.
Members from UFS institutional support department: ICT, Finance, Facilities management

Kopanong local municipality

Councilor Basholo, representing the Kopanong local municipality.
Kopanong local community members
Free State Department of Education (DoE)
Free State Department of Health (DoH)

Private sector partners

Mr Burgess, CEO of MDG Heath Solutions
The Mother And Child Academic Hospital (MACAH) represented by Prof Venter, head of department of Paediatrics, donated two (2) state of the art baby scales to the rural health programme.

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