Pretoria — The Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality has extended its arm to students who want to further their studies but do not have the financial means to do so.

The municipality has made 50 bursaries available for qualifying students, said municipal spokesperson Zweli Dlamini.

Bursaries will be awarded to students who would like to study a Bachelor's Degree in the fields of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Quantity Surveying, Internal Auditing, Local Government Finance and Procurement, LLB, BA Cur in Nursing, BA Social Sciences, Psychology, Epidemiology, and BA Education in Nursing.

The municipality will also consider applicants interested in attaining a National Diploma in Environmental Management, Waste Management, Environmental Health and Tourism, Disaster Management, Supply Chain Management, Property Administration, Local government Administration and Horticultural Science.

Applicants interested in the fields of Public Transport, Municipal Finance, Civil and Electrical Engineering, Library and Information Science, Public Transport and Municipal Administration, will also be considered.

We have a responsibility as a municipality to ensure the development of people in our own region in line with our scarce skills needs," Dlamini said, explaining that successful candidates will be obliged to enter into a bursary agreement with the municipality.

Application forms are available at Ekurhuleni metro buildings such as libraries, clinics, civic centers as well as local ward councillors or on www.ekurhuleni.gov.za. Completed applications must be submitted where they were obtained or at the local customer care area.

Applicants must first apply for admission to a university or a registered technical institution, then submit their application forms with either a provisional or permanent acceptance letter attached, explained Dlamini.

The closing date for applications is 29 September 2010 at 4pm and no late applications will be considered.

Only Ekurhuleni residents, who are academically excelling but due to lack of resources would not be able to pursue their careers, would be considered.