The Mining Qualifications Authority (MQA) handed over a cheque for more than R23-million to the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) this month.

The money will be used to cover the salaries of seven mining engineering lecturers and provide bursaries for 236 students in the analytical, chemical, electrical, industrial, mechanical, metallurgical, mining engineering and geological disciplines during 2014.

Speaking at the handover ceremony, Wits School of Mining Engineering head Professor Fred Cawood said the partnership between Wits and the MQA dated back to 2005 and had strengthened to the extent that the authority entrusted the university with such a “significant sum of money”.

He added that he hoped this partnership set an example for other sector education and training authorities.

The amount allocated for the Wits School of Mining Engineering lecturer salaries is about R4.624-million, while R18.868-million is allocated for bursaries across various disciplines.

Four bursaries will go to the analytical chemistry discipline, eight to industrial engineering, nine to electrical engineering, 16  to geology, 20 to mechanical engineering, 28 to chemical engineering, 31 to metallurgical engineering and 120 to mining engineering.

A further R100 000 has been allocated to needy and deserving students at the Wits School of Mining Engineering who cannot afford to buy the required necessities for their studies.

The MQA supported the school’s student support project, which provides financial support, meals and vouchers to students. It forms part of the R100 000 allocated to needy and deserving students. There is a historic success rate of almost 99% among the students for whom such support has been provided in the past, notes Cawood.

Also speaking at the ceremony, Wits vice-chancellor and principal Professor Adam Habib agreed with Cawood on the MQA setting an example for other industries. He reminded those present that the historical disenfranchisement of many South Africans had created enormous levels of inequality that could only be addressed through collective action.

“The way in which we begin to bridge institutional boundaries has become important. This partnership with the MQA paves the way for collective action and long-term sustainability, and is testimony to what can be done through collective action,” said Habib.