US$100 000 bail out for cadetship students

US$100 000 from Marange Resources to 10 students from the university’s department of mining and metal­lurgy.
“We understand that due to economic sanctions imposed on the country our econ­omy is highly crippled hence we cannot go to Government and claim what is not there. The institution will continue offering its services to those under the cadetship programme,” he said.
Prof Nyagura said this was despite the fact that Government owed the institution US$8 million in unpaid cadetship scheme fees. What we receive depends on how much of the cake there is,” he said.
Prof Nyagura said UZ was living from hand to mouth as it needed more than US$20 million to cater for operations annually.
“Our situation is further compounded by failure to get water. With close to 16 000 peo­ple on the premises everyday, it is a miracle that we spend the day in this testing environ­ment,” he said.
Prof Nyagura encouraged indigenous companies to assist government to achieve its goals.
“Marange has seen that government can­not do it alone and this is what others should do by lending a hand.
“UZ is excited about the intervention and this will create an environment where stu­dents will concentrate on their academic per­formance and not worry about where to get money.
“We are hoping the recipients will see a new dawn in their social life and become responsible off and on campus,” he said.
Retired Colonel Tshinga Dube, the Marange Resources board chairman, said the industry was bedevilled by manpower and equipment challenges.
“Worst of all product prices are determined by foreigners,” he said.
He said his company was committed to human resources development. Marange Resources will cater for beneficiaries’ tuition, book and living expenses.
Recipients will also be given an opportu­nity to integrate with those in the industry during their vacation periods.
The development comes nearly a week after student representatives lamented that cadetship beneficiaries at state institutions   were being denied registration and barred from attending lectures and accessing results.
Government’s cadetship programme is meant to cater for disadvantaged students.