As the matric results announcement draws closer, many rural children living under traditional leadership face a hard reality, writes Celani Sikhakhane in Royal Mzanzi.
Even if they pass Grade 12, many will end up staying at home. Their families simply cannot afford to send them to college or university. This creates a serious challenge for the Ingonyama Trust and the role it is meant to play in educating poor rural learners.
The Ingonyama Trust collects millions of rands from villages under traditional leadership. This money comes from business leases such as mines, cellphone network towers, shopping malls and government departments operating on trust land.
That money is meant to play a role in developing young rural people, especially through education.
But so far, we have not seen the Ingonyama Trust awarding education funding to matriculants from the villages where it collects millions. Instead, it is municipalities that step in. They help rural learners with registration fees so they can continue studying at institutions of their choice.
Some municipalities have even built relationships with certain universities to help rural matriculants secure places. We have not seen similar efforts from the Ingonyama Trust.
Traditional leaders raised concerns years ago. They say that when they ask the Ingonyama Trust for funding, they are sent from pillar to post. They are also asked to submit business plans, something many are not familiar with.
As a result, some rural learners who achieve strong results end up staying at home. Others fall into crime, driven by stress and depression, because their families cannot afford university fees.
The Ingonyama Trust can learn from the Royal Bafokeng. The Royal Bafokeng have their own bursary funds for their communities.
Royal Bafokeng Holdings is a community owned investment company. Together with its sole shareholder, the Royal Bafokeng Nation Development Trust, it grows and protects wealth for the Royal Bafokeng Nation. Its goal is long term financial independence and meeting the social and infrastructure needs of its people.
Pictured above: Ingonyama Trust board deputy chairperson Advocate Linda Zama and board member Kgosi Bokang Molefe.
Image source: Ingonyama Trust board
