MOTHOTLUNG – For Didintle Mokgatlhe, pursuing higher education is about more than earning a qualification. It is about gaining the skills needed to contribute to community development and improve others’ lives. The Mothotlung resident is currently in his second year of studying for a Diploma in Building Science at Tshwane University of Technology (TUT). He is among the students benefiting from the De Wildt Solar Scholarship Programme, which supports young people from the Madibeng Local Municipality who face barriers to accessing higher education.
Established in 2022, the scholarship programme forms part of De Wildt Solar’s socio-economic development initiatives. The programme provides financial assistance and academic support to qualifying students from local communities, enabling them to focus on their studies and future careers. For Mokgatlhe, the opportunity has allowed him to pursue a field that has long interested him.
“I chose this field of study because I feel like it chose me long before I formally entered it. It has been a dream of mine for many years to be involved in a field that allows ideas and imagination to become reality,” he said.
Mokgatlhe said he hopes to use his qualification to make a positive contribution to society through infrastructure development. “I would like to use my qualification to improve communities through infrastructure development and creating safer, more functional spaces for people.
“I strongly believe in the power of imagination and vision. Most buildings that exist today started as simple ideas in someone’s mind before being transferred onto paper and eventually becoming structures that people use daily,” he said.
The scholarship programme supports students from communities surrounding the De Wildt Solar project, including Mmakau, Mothotlung, Damonsville and Ga-Rankuwa. Beneficiaries are selected based on academic performance, financial need, commitment to community development and the future marketability of their chosen fields of study.
According to De Wildt Solar Social Performance Manager Qinisani Siveshe, the programme aims to create opportunities for young people while contributing to long-term community development.
“This initiative is not only about access to education, but also about long-term community upliftment through skills development and the creation of future professionals who can contribute meaningfully to local development,” said Siveshe.
To date, approximately R1.3 million has been invested in the scholarship programme, covering tuition, accommodation and academic support for beneficiaries.
The programme has already produced success stories. One of its beneficiaries, Katlego Molaba from the 2023 cohort, graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Occupational Therapy in 2026 and now works as a Community Service Occupational Therapist at Brits Hospital.
Officials at De Wildt Solar say they plan to expand the programme in future by increasing the number of beneficiaries, broadening the fields of study supported and strengthening partnerships with educational institutions.
Looking ahead, Mokgatlhe hopes to build a successful career in the built environment sector and eventually establish his own consultancy.
“I hope to build a career in the built environment sector and possibly start my own consultancy one day. I want to become someone who makes a meaningful contribution to projects, communities and the industry,” he said.
For Mokgatlhe, the scholarship is helping turn a long-held ambition into reality while providing an opportunity to develop skills that could one day benefit communities across South Africa.
