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29 September 2026
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Story Kathy Verwey
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Photo Supplied
Kovsie Alumni Trust Chairperson Bertie Haasbroek with 2025 Matriculant of the Year winner Kiara Subramanian.
The Kovsie Alumni Trust (KAT) – a legally independent fundraising body founded in 1996 – has officially announced the expansion of its critical financial aid initiative. The expansion aims to further support the educational journeys of talented students at the University of the Free State (UFS), ensuring that academic excellence remains a pathway to success rather than a privilege.
Over its decades of service, the trust has raised millions of rands to fund bursaries for undergraduate and postgraduate students. This funding directly drives local enterprise development and job creation by bridging the gap for students facing structural financial hurdles.
“The success of our university is intimately tied to the impact and achievements of its graduates,” said Bertie Haasbroek, Chairperson of the Kovsie Alumni Trust. “At the Kovsie Alumni Trust, our core mandate goes beyond providing financial handouts; we are investing in sustainable futures.”
Investing in students beyond graduation
Haasbroek emphasised the strategic nature of the funding, adding, “By mobilising the powerful network of former Kovsies across the globe, we are creating an environment where financial hardship or personal obstacles do not dictate a student’s potential to graduate. Our bursaries are strategically designed to alleviate the burden of outstanding tuition debt, allowing our brilliant minds to flourish.”
“We strongly believe that the assistance given today will cultivate a profound sense of ubuntu within our beneficiaries. The ultimate vision is that these supported students will thrive in their fields and one day plant the seed to pay it forward, contributing to the higher education needs of future generations.”
The initiative offers lucrative financial incentives for corporate partners and individual donors, as all contributions to the trust qualify for full tax deductions under Section 18A of the South African tax law. “The inclusion of Section 18A tax deductibility is a massive win for both our donors and the university,” Haasbroek stated.
“It completely changes the conversation around corporate social investment. We are not asking businesses or successful alumni for a handout; we are presenting them with a highly strategic, legally sound vehicle to redirect their tax liabilities directly into the future workforce.”
Haasbroek added that the trust firmly believes the assistance provided today will instil a deep sense of ubuntu in its beneficiaries. He noted that the ultimate vision is to see these supported students thrive in their chosen professions and eventually pay it forward – planting the seeds to fund and uplift future generations of higher education seekers.