The content on this page is not written by Polity.org.za, but is supplied by third parties. This content does not constitute news reporting by Polity.org.za.

The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) together with the JB Marks Education Trust Fund will once again honour 379 graduates at its prestigious 11th Annual JB Marks Graduates Awards Ceremony, which will be held at Emperors Palace in Kempton Park coming Friday (19 August 2022) starting at 6 pm.

The JB Marks Education Trust Fund was founded in 1997 by the NUM and named after its first president of the African Miners Union JB Marks. The Trust is also celebrating its 25th-anniversary.  Over the past two decades, JB Marks Education Trust Fund has provided bursaries for members of the NUM and their families; ultimately enabling 1, 717 bursars to graduate with mainstream qualifications (including 24 medical doctors and 4 Pilots).

For this year’s graduation ceremony, the main speaker is Professor Tshilidzi Marwala who was recently appointed the rector of the United Nations University (UNU) in Japan.

"The Class of 2019, 2020 and 2021 produced 379 graduates, the highest three-year throughput since the Trust inception 25 years ago, a total of 1,717 graduates by a private Trust, over 130 postgraduates with one Ph.D. candidate, a functional Alumni, the Trust has paid over R600m for over 3010 beneficiaries over this period. We salute the NUM for its visionary leadership to establish such a Trust for its members. The NUM is a revolutionary giant union that is changing the lives of its members and their dependents. It will continue to empower and educate its members and their dependents," said Jako Mokgosi, JB Marks Education Trust Fund Principal Officer.

The 379 graduates have qualified in various fields of study including Law, Health, Engineering, Aviation and Science—a collective achievement, which shows the efficacy of the JB Marks bursary programme, a programme initiated under the auspices of Mineworkers Investment Trust (MIT) whose interest in the needs of the community led to the formation of Mineworkers Investment Company (MIC) to provide funds for the JB Marks Education Trust Fund and Awards Programmes.

Educating and empowering young Southern Africans is the centrepiece of the NUM strategy meant to break the yoke of the triple evils of poverty, unemployment, and inequality.

These bursaries are an effort of educating and empowering the dependents of NUM members. Education of an individual is by definition education of a society.

The NUM through the JB Marks Education Trust Fund will continue to educate its members and their dependents.

The NUM is inviting members of the media to attend and report.

Issued by NUM