Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality

About Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality

Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality governs Gqeberha, Kariega and Despatch in the Eastern Cape. Its offices are at City Hall in Market Square, Gqeberha. The metro is a major coastal and industrial hub, known for its port and motor manufacturing. The municipality provides water, electricity, roads, housing and other public services to a large urban population.

Running such services takes engineers, planners, lawyers, accountants and ICT staff. However, many local households cannot afford university fees. For this reason, the municipality funds a bursary programme for residents. Skills in fields such as civil and electrical engineering matter for keeping roads, water and power networks working.

How the municipality supports students

The External Bursary Programme is open to local residents who study full-time at a public university. It focuses on scarce and critical skills identified by the Local Government Sector Education and Training Authority, known as LGSETA. A recent call listed about 20 fields. Examples were civil engineering, electrical engineering, computer science, law, business administration, human resource management and graphic design.

The bursary covers registration fees, tuition fees and book fees. It does not appear to cover accommodation or living costs, so students should plan for those separately. In addition, the programme is aimed at people who cannot pay for their own studies. Unemployed applicants with good marks are the intended group, so be ready to show why you need support. The fields on the list are matched to local government needs, so students in unlisted degrees are unlikely to qualify.

What to know before applying

A recent call asked applicants to be South African citizens who live in Gqeberha, Kariega or Despatch. They had to hold a matric certificate and be unemployed. They also needed an acceptance letter from a public university, a minimum average of 60%, and clear financial need. Each year's rules can differ, so confirm them first.

The documents asked for were certified copies of an ID and matric results, a university acceptance letter, a course outline, a timetable, an expense quotation, proof of residence and a motivation letter of 500 to 1,000 words. Applications are delivered to the municipality's Skills Development and Employment Equity unit in Gqeberha. The 2024 call closed on 31 January 2024, and later calls may use different dates. Details of any work-back requirement are not confirmed, so ask the unit before you accept an award. Check the official municipal website for the current call. Start early, because certified copies, an expense quotation from your institution and a timetable can take days to collect.