FirstRand has donated R10m to the University of Cape Town to help pay extra costs caused by the postponement of exams to January. The money will go into an emergency fund set up after #Feesmustfall protests led to UCT and other universities putting off exams. The donation from FirstRand Empowerment Fund (FREF) came after Absa Bank gave R10m to the University of the Witwatersrand to fund the studies of at least 250 students. Absa gave a similar amount to the University of Johannesburg. UCT vice-chancellor Dr Max Price said FirstRand’s initiative provided much-needed, generous support to the higher education sector. The funds would go towards covering costs of accommodation and meals for poor students whose exams were deferred. It would also cover transport for students from outside Cape Town who had to travel to UCT to write exams. Some of the funds would also help students with outstanding fees to register for the next year of study. "Many institutions of higher learning are also st...

Subscribe now to unlock this article.

Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).

There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.

Cancel anytime.

Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.

Speech Bubbles

Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.