JB Marks Educational Fund Annual Awards

JB Marks Educational Trust Fund held its third annual awards at Emperors Palace in Johannesburg, 30 August 2012. This event is aimed at celebrating and encouraging students from disadvantaged backgrounds, who have been granted a bursary by the trust fund.

The trust fund was established by the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) 15 years ago to address the need for black graduates entering the mining, energy and construction sectors.

The 2012 JB Marks awards were awarded to:

The Most Consistent Learner Award went to Refilwe Ditoronyane. This graduate had consistent results throughout her Bachelor of Technology Degree in Taxation, and achieved five distinctions.

The JB Marks Merit Awards, which is granted to the top three learners that have achieved outstanding results, went to:

• Alvin Cloete of Aggeneys from Northern Cape completed Management at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology this year and received six distinctions throughout his course. He is currently studying a B-Tech Degree in Management to further his academic studies.

• Mosa Malia from Pretoria completed her Enterprise Development at the Tshwane University of Technology in 2007 with seven distinctions throughout her course.

• Rethabile Witkoei from Klerksdorp completed her B-Tech Degree in Town and Region Planning at UNISA in 2011, with six distinctions throughout her course.

The JB Marks Course Specific Awards awarded to students that graduate after maintaining a minimum average mark of 75% in a subject, went to:

• Sherperd Dibakoane from Acornhoek,Mpumalanga for receiving two distinctions and achieving a 75% aggregate.
• Gavin Matshogo fromNorth West, for receiving four distinctions throughout his course achieving a 77% aggregate.
• Kabelo Mokoebetane from Welkom, for receiving six distinctions throughout her course achieving a 75% aggregate.
• Alvin Cloete from Aggeneys, Northern Cape for receiving six distinctions throughout his course achieving an 80% aggregate.
• Mosa Malia from Pretoria, for receiving seven distinctions throughout her course and an 80% aggregate.
• Rethabile Witkoei from Klerksdorp, for receiving six distinctions throughout her course achieving a 76% aggregate.

The Leadership of the Year Award (Alumni) was awarded to Nancy Makatseng Kalebe for consistency in contributing to the enrichment of the community through her profession and the extraordinary courage and dedication she has demonstrated as a disabled individual. Nancy grew up in Randfontein and is currently working at Khanyisa Mogale Attorneys and specializes in criminal labour and civil litigation. She studied a Bachelor of Arts at the University of Natal and graduated with her LLB Degree in 2003.

This year, Mineworkers Investment Company (MIC) the funders of the trust and the main sponsor of these awards has been joined by resorts and casino group Peermont, leading media owner Primedia, leading vehicle tracking company Tracker, Broad Based Investor Shanduka, National Union of Mineworkers, Westcon, mining group Optimum Coal, the Mineworkers Investment Trust and BP Southern Africa to sponsor the event.