EZIMTOTI REPORTER

WHEN Azola Sihlahla was four years old, his mother passed away. His father was not part of his upbringing so his grandparents took him in.

The 18-year-old from Dulati Combined School in KwaZulu Natal is now thankful to have his grandparents by his side.

“There is nothing that I don’t get at home, so I don’t feel like I don’t have parents,” said the matriculant.”

“I regard my grandfather (Nicholas) as my dream father because he is always there for me. Even when my friends talk about their parents being there for them, I don’t feel like I’m out of place.”

Azola who will be writing his final year exam soon, knows that studying at the higher institution of learning won’t be easy.

Siemens Energy awarded him and a fellow KZN pupil a full higher education bursaries to study towards a Bachelor of Science in Engineering at any South African university of choice.

These include tuition fees, textbooks, accommodation, meal allowances, and a laptop, to the total approximate value of R1.5 million.

The winners were announced on Thursday evening at the Emperors Palace in Kempton Park, Joburg.

Lethukuthula Khumalo from Nkodibe High School (KZN far North Region) and Sihlahla came up with a brilliant innovative projects that will one day be used to create jobs in the country. Azola’s traffic lights project was to ensure that all robots in the country work without the use of electricity.

Every year pupils from different primary and high schools across the African continent and abroad win big prizes at Eskom Expo International Science Fair.

This year’s Eskom Expo International Science Fair celebrated South Africa’s leading young scientists with an impressive collection of prizes from full bursaries and cash rewards to tech devices that will support their future in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and innovation (STEMI).

Eskom awarded six full bursaries worth R5 million during the Special Awards ceremony, contingent on meeting the required criteria upon receiving their matric results, to support these bright minds.

These bursaries cover full tuition, accommodation, meals, textbooks and a living allowance for studies in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) at accredited South African universities.Eskom Development Foundation Acting Chief Executive Officer, Mologadi Motshele, said:

“This been the most remarkable day for us especially seeing and witnessing what our young learners, the talents that they have, the drive that they have, all I can say is that just from today, with the special honours and all the other honours that they have received from other donors that South Africa is in good hands,” she said.

Mologadi said they needed to continue to invest in these young minds so that they can realise their dreams.

She said it was not only about the prizes they’ve received, but also to provide them with the psychosocial support as they embark on their journey to make a difference in this country.

Eskom cannot fight unemployment alone, they needed other partners to lend a hand as well.