2026 Thebe Foundation Dr EJ Mabuza Scholarship

Applications are open.

Applications close on Friday, 17 October 2025 at 12 midday.

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ABOUT THE COMPANY

To enhance Thebe’s community programmes, the Thebe Foundation was established as an independent trust in February 2011 to drive Thebe’s corporate social investment strategy. The Foundation forges partnerships between Thebe, its subsidiaries and economically-marginalised communities, in order to reshape them and ensure a more prosperous and humane future. 

 

The Thebe Foundation programmes, which enables the group to contribute to socio-economic transformation in our communities, focus primarily on education and enterprise and supplier development (ESD). 

 

Leveraging the collective goodwill, development commitment, business capacity, and skills of the Thebe Group of Companies and its associated partners, we are able to formulate and carry out transformative and impactful interventions. 

 

True to the African idiom, “No matter how far a stream flows, it never forgets its source,” Thebe remains focused on its primary reason for existence: TO BUILD COMMUNITIES.

About The Bursary

The Dr EJ Mabuza Scholarship Fund was established in 2016 in honour of Dr Enos Mabuza, and the critical role he played in the establishment of Thebe Investment Corporation together with Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu and Beyers Naude.  

 

The initiative aims to support financially needy students at higher education institutions, thereby contributing to the development of graduates who are confident and proud of their African identity and heritage, academically and socially adept, and equipped with the skills and competencies enabling them to become professionals in their fields. 

 

The bursary covers the following expenses:

  1. Tuition fees, textbooks, accredited accommodation costs, meals and a transport allowance for those students living at home.
  2. The Thebe Foundation provides support services at all stages of this programme, to ensure that all recipients are supported in their academic efforts and successfully graduate at the end of their studies. 
  3. The bursary DOES NOT cover historical debt (ie, incurred before 2026). Discovery that an applicant has historical debt (even if it's after they are given an offer/pledge or bursary contract), can lead to a termination or cancellation of the bursary (at the Bursary providers sole discretion). 
  4. Successful Applicants will be required to terminate any other funding (NSFAS, etc) if they accept the bursary offer.

Who Can Apply

  1. Applicants must be under 35 years of age (at the time of applying)
  2. Applicants must be South African citizens. 
  3. Applicants must be UNEMPLOYED and pursuing a FULL-TIME qualification (Diploma, Advanced Diploma, Degree/Honours, or Masters) [Excluding Phd]. For master’s applicants the research topic will form part of selection criteria. 
  4. Applicants must be pursuing their qualification-level for the first time (i.e., not repeating a degree-year, honours, etc)  
  5. Good academic record with an average pass rate of 60% and above (for your last full-year of academic enrollment)
  6. Household income below R600K per year. 
  7. Defined as a Black Designated Group according to BBBEE (ie, Africans, Coloureds, Indians and Asian) 
  8. Applicants must be pursuing a qualification or intending to pursue a qualification at PUBLIC tertiary institution registered with DHET and SAQA. (This includes community colleges and Technical Vocational EducationTS)  
  9. The bursary will be allocated to students who have enrolled in Bachelor or Diploma programs majoring in the following fields of study at Public Tertiary institutions:  

Accounting 

Corporate Finance, 

Finance 

Mining Engineering 

Electrical Engineering 

Agriculture 

Education/BEd – specialising with Mathematics and Technology  

Renewable energy 

Water and energy  

ICT 

Media Information and Communication programs 

TVET Artisans need to be in the following skills programs: Electricians, plumbing, mechanics, Solar voltaic service technicians, Millwright

Please read these notes and instructions carefully before completing the form. Be sure to read every section and ensure that the information you provide is accurate.

  • Applications that are incomplete and that include misrepresentations will immediately be disregarded.
  • Please ensure that you attach ALL of the Required Documents
  • Closing date for application type:
    • 2026 Thebe Foundation Dr EJ Mabuza Scholarship closes: Friday, 17 October 2025 at 12 midday.
  • Bursary allocation year for application type:
    • 2026 Thebe Foundation Dr EJ Mabuza Scholarship will be allocated for the 2026 academic year

This Bursary is for the 2026 academic year. You need to be studying full-time in 2026 to qualify. 

  1. Should you not have heard back from us within 3 months (of the application closing date), please consider your application as unsuccessful
  2. Terms and Conditions apply.  Successful applicants will be required to sign an agreement provided by the sponsor
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Required Documents

Please prepare the following documents:

    Important Note About Documents:  

     

    All certified documents must be less than 3 months old.  

    [*]  Where you have multiple documents for 1 submission, please combine/scan them into 1 file that you can upload.  

     

    All Applicants: 

    1. A one-page statement/motivation clearly setting out why you have chosen your field of study and how you intend to use it after graduation.
    2. Certified copy of a valid South African identity document
    3. Recent certified Parents/Guardian's valid South African ID (or death certificate if deceased)*
    4. Proof of household income (certified copy of SASSA docs or 3 months Payslips of parents/guardians) - Please attach affidavits confirming unemployment, if parent/s are unemployed*

    Scholar in Matric

    1. Grade 11 and 12-Term-2 Report (stamped) - With official school stamp 
    2. Optional: Grade 9 final-year report 
    3. Optional: TVET academic reports since leaving high school (N4, N6, etc) [*] [combine all into 1 document]

    Gap Year Student

    1. Certified copy of valid matric certificate (Grade 12) 
    2. OPTIONAL- Certified copy of the latest Official academic transcript/s- (combined doc required for applicants that have enrolled at multiple institutions during their tertiary studies*)

    Undergrad/Honours/ Masters

    1. Certified copy of valid matric certificate (Grade 12) 
    2. 2025 Official Proof of Registration at university (for 2025 academic year) - Must be official document from university
    3. Certified copy of the latest Official academic transcript/s- (combined doc required for applicants that have enrolled at multiple institutions during their tertiary studies*)

    Optional Docs

    1. Have a Disability? Dept of Labour Employment Equity Act (EEA1) Form AND a Doctors’ Letter *
    2. Did you get funded by another bursary/NSFAS?; upload your bursary agreement/letter/offer*
    3. A copy of 2026 acceptance letter from an accredited institution. - Official letter showing you've been accepted (even provisionally) to study the qualification in 2026*

For applicants under the age of 18, to comply with POPI regulations a signed consent form completed by your parent/legal guardian along with a certified copy of their proof of identity is required.

You can download the guardian consent form by clicking HERE.

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