Vaal Central Water

Vaal Central Water is a national government-owned entity, established under the Water Services Act 108 of 1997 and classified as a Schedule 3B national public entity, that supplies bulk water and sanitation services across the Free State and Northern Cape provinces. It supplies municipalities, mines, solar power plants and other large users, and manages the dams, pipelines and treatment infrastructure that keep that supply running and compliant with national water-quality standards.

Vaal Central Water funds 20 full-time bursaries a year because, as a water board, it has a direct and ongoing need for engineers, hydrologists, environmental scientists, water-treatment specialists and IT and cybersecurity staff, and because it has stated an explicit goal of using the programme to transform the technical professions and build scarce and critical skills for the water sector. Bursaries are open to students who achieved at least 60% for Mathematics, Physical Science and related subjects in matric and who are not already receiving other financial aid, and cover tuition, accommodation and a living allowance for relevant qualifications. A two-year work-back period applies to recipients, meaning graduates are expected to work for Vaal Central Water for two years after completing their studies as a condition of the funding.