Bursary pledge by Sunbet Cares benefits Mpumalanga students  

By Lwazi Raul-Shongwe

Nkhensani Lubisi has always believed that failure is not a full stop, it is a comma.

The young, bright and highly ambitious law student from the rural community of KaMhlushwa, in Nkomazi Local Municipality, is today pursuing an LLB Degree at the University of Mpumalanga, with distinctions, after making the painful decision to go back and upgrade her matric results in 2025.

This week, her gamble on herself paid off when she was named one of 11 students in Mpumalanga to receive the Sunbet Cares Bursary. The life-changing ceremony was held at the UMP(University of Mpumalanga) on Thursday 27 August 2026, attended by various stakeholders.

“Varsity programmes such as this one, are not something that comes around on a daily basis. This is why an opportunity like this is so significant to me. It represents opportunities that can change, not only my life, but the lives of people who come after me,” said Nkhensani.

Nkhensani said her academic journey has not been a straight road. After completing her matric, she was not satisfied with the results that she had achieved.

Instead of accepting the results as the final chapter of my her story, she took the decision to go back and upgrade them.

She said she went back, worked harder, and eventually obtained the results that she was eventually proud of.

For Nkhensani, that experience taught her that one result or one disappointment should not have the power to define her entire future.

“When I entered university, I told myself that I was going to give my education everything that I have. Today I’m pursuing my LLB Degree and I’m proud to say that I’ve been working hard and obtaining distinctions in my studies,” she said.

Nkhensani said her goal is to specialise in Corporate Law in order to work with businesses and eventually use her knowledge to create opportunities to open door for people who come from similar rural  communities such as KaMhlushwa.

For self-funded students such as Nkhensani, the bursary is more than academic, it is relief for families.

“As a self-funded student, pursuing my education has placed a significant financial responsibility on my parents. They had to cover the cost of my tuition, textbooks, accommodation, and all other expenses that come with studying at a university. Therefore, receiving this bursary means that some of that burden can be finally lifted from them,” she said.

Nkhensani said beyond financial support, what makes this opportunity even more meaningful is knowing that someone believed that she was worth investing in.

According to the aspirant legal mind, Sunbet Cares has not only invested in her education, it invested in her potential and the person that she hopes to become in the future.

“To Sunbet Cares, thank you for seeing potential in me, and for giving a young woman like me from Nkomazi an opportunity to dream even bigger. I do not take this opportunity lightly. I’m determined to work hard and make the most of this bursary,” she  said.

The bursary handover was overseen by Vusi Mtsweni, CEO(Chief Executive Officer) for MER (Mpumalanga Economic Regulator) responsible for regulating gambling and liquor.

He said the funding comes from licence obligations to plough back into communities.

“Today we are pleased to be part and parcel of this initiative whereby bursaries were awarded to students. We do have Corporate Social Investment whereby our licensed operators are required to plough back into the communities in which they operate,” said Mtsweni.

“For us this is very much important because the initiative that they have chosen, which is education. is really going to make sure that we have our future leaders,” he added.

Mtsweni praised the controls put in place to ensure the money is used accordingly, and used the platform to warn students about the pitfalls of gambling addiction.

“We have recently been made aware, through social media, that a number of students are using their allowances for the purpose which they were not meant for. As an organisation, we are also on a campaign to go around all the campuses in all the educational institutions, trying to make sure that we create awareness.

“ With regards to responsible gambling, the advice  for students would be to completely stay away from gambling, because as much as gambling was created for entertainment purposes, it is very addictive. Once you are addicted, your education gets affected,” Mtsweni cautioned.

He added: “We are really proud to be associated with Sunbet Cares when it comes to making sure that the education and the lives of our people are made to be better off.”

R4-million pledge for 45 students

Simon Gregory, Sunbet CEO(Chief Executive Officer), said the bursary is part of a bigger national rollout.

“The intial Sunbet Cares Bursary pledge is around R4 million for 2026. In total, we will benefit 45 students across both Mpumalanga and North West provinces,” said Gregory.

“Eleven students here today will get bursaries that will cover a whole spectrum of student expenses, tuition fees, accommodation, living expenses, stationery etc.

According to Gregory, the initiative is partnership with Fundi Capital through the Administrative Unit that works between the Business teams and universities to do the selection process and to administer the finances to the students.

“In terms of the selection criteria, that’s a question mainly for Fundi Capital, but I hope that these are students from appropriate background, with great academic records, who are really going to benefit from this funding that will lead them to great success in their academic careers, and on towards jobs. I hope that one day, we as an employer, will employ one of the bursary students that we have been able to benefit,” said Gregory.

About Sunbet Cares and Fundi Capital

• Sunbet Cares is the CSI(Corporate Social Investment) arm of Sunbet, one of South Africa’s leading licensed online betting operators under Sun International.

The foundation focuses on education, community upliftment and responsible gambling, requiring its licence fees to be reinvested into communities where it operates.

• Fundi Capital is South Africa’s leading education finance and fund management specialist. Through its administrative and bursary management unit, Fundi handles the selection, vetting and disbursement of funds directly to universities and students, ensuring transparency and that allowances are used for tuition, accommodation, books and living expenses