Start main page content
Earth moving
The SV Kearney Education Trust The Trust was established in honour of the first Chairman of Royal Bafokeng Resources, Stephen Kearney, who died tragically in April 2004.
Governance The Trust is managed by the Wits School of Geosciences and a Board of Trustees with expertise in the fields of geology and mining engineering, law, and psychology.
Image Centre for Mechanised Mining Systems
How to apply Click here to find out more about the qualifying criteria and how to apply for the Steve Kearney Bursary.

Bursary Recipients

Meet some of our talented and hard-working bursary recipients.

  • Kofi Osei Acheampong

    "The SVK Education Trust has allowed me to further my education and enrol for an MSc focused on Economic and Structural Geology. It is not very often that someone from a background such as my own is offered an opportunity to pursue a postgraduate degree and I thank the S V Kearney Education Trust for allowing me this chance. There is a lack of graduates specialising in Structural and/or Economic Geology and this bursary will allow for that gap to be filled."

    Kofi Osei Acheampong, Geology, Wits

  • Lebogang Sehoole

    "I did not always know what I wanted to be and in the midst of trying to discover myself, a career in Geophysics found me! Here I was with a career but had no means of obtaining this new-found dream. I happened to come across the S V Kearney Education Trust, which has been my saving grace. The Trust saw in me a small dim light and had enough faith in me to believe that I had the potential to grow into something bright. For this I will be forever eternally grateful. Today I continue to show the Trust that the investment they made in me was not a mistake. Thank you SVK trust!"

    Lebogang Sehoole, Geophysics, Wits

  • Ligunuba Muofhe

    I am now a fully qualified Mining Engineer through the S V Kearney Education Trust. All this would not have been possible had I not received funding from you. I am grateful. Thank you for your support, motivation, and patience in me, for trusting me with your finances and for believing in me.

    Ligunuba Muofhe, Mining Engineering, Wits

  • Irvin Matsheka

    "It is through the Steve Kearney Education Trust that I am where I am today, a geologist based in Rustenburg. I am a former S V Kearney Education Trust bursar, having attended the University of the Witwatersrand and graduated with a degree in Geology. I now work as a section geologist at Royal Bafokeng Platinum where I started out as a graduate geologist. I am passionate about the minerals industry at large, but have a keen interest in the evaluation of mineral projects, resource estimation and just the basic understanding of mineral law, policies and compliance".

    Irvin R Matsheka, Wits Geology

  • Samanganeng Judah Mashego

    Samanganeng matriculated in 1999 and then studied electrical engineering at the Technikon Witwatersrand where he graduated in 2002. He did his practical training at Exact Mobiles and graduated in 2003 with a National Diploma. He then began a degree in mining engineering at the University of the Witwatersrand and was awarded a Steve Kearney bursary during his third year of mining engineering studies. After graduating successfully, he was employed at Rustenburg Bafokeng Platinum. He subsequently worked as a mining engineer at Xstrata Alloys and his present position is Product Manager at Glencore plc.

    Samanganeng Judah Mashego, Wits Mining