Three aspiring engineers from the Kouga region are charting a brighter academic path, thanks to a powerful collaboration between Maximum Profit Recovery (MaxProf), EST Sourcing and Kouga Local Municipality.
This week, bursaries totalling R55 552.00 were handed over to the students, with MaxProf’s Eastern Cape Regional Manager, Cedric Mataka, and Kouga Executive Mayor, Hattingh Bornman, in attendance.
Open to all students residing in Kouga, the opportunity was made available through a formal application process advertised earlier this year. Successful recipients were selected and shortlisted by EST Sourcing.
“This is more than just financial aid,” said Bornman during the event. “It is a statement of belief in our youth – a promise that we will invest in their future. Through partnerships like this, we are driving real change, one opportunity at a time.”
Bornman reminded the students that their presence in Kouga is purposeful: “You are not here by accident. Work hard, strive for excellence, and use this opportunity you have been given.”
The bursaries form part of MaxProf’s newly reimagined corporate social responsibility strategy. Recognising the need for a more targeted impact, the company shifted from broad donations to a focused bursary fund, directly financed through its revenue.
“Last year, we committed 1% of our invoice value to support education,” explained Mataka. “This year, we doubled that to 2%. And I’m proud to say that students from Kouga are the sole beneficiaries of this increased support.”
Two of the three recipients – Esihle Mpumela from Pellsrus and Strong Athenkosi Sodlala from KwaNomzamo – were present to receive their bursary awards in person.
Mpumela, a second-year Mechanical Engineering student at JBAY Tech, expressed deep gratitude.
“I am humbled and grateful to have been selected. This bursary lifts a tremendous burden. I can now focus fully on my studies. I promise to strive for excellence and give back to my community.”
Sodlala, studying Electrical Engineering at PE College, echoed this sentiment: “This bursary is more than financial help — it’s a vote of confidence in our potential. I’m honoured and determined to make the most of it.”
Veronica Poti, mother of the third recipient, Zukhanye Poti, accepted the award on his behalf. Zukhanye, a Mechanical Engineering student at Walter Sisulu University, was unable to attend.
“I am so happy,” she said. “Now my son doesn’t have to stress. He can focus solely on his studies.”
The bursary initiative exemplifies the power of partnership in tackling educational and economic inequality.
“This is what we can achieve when government and the private sector work together,” Bornman concluded. “We are not just supporting students – we are empowering the engineers, innovators and leaders of tomorrow.”
