Top student gets a gift with a difference

Gifted: Eduloan's Johan Wasserfall (left) presents a laptop to VC Dr Max Price and student Lutando Ngqakaza.

Days of relying on on-campus computer laboratories to do assignments are a thing of the past for UCT student Lutando Ngqakaza after he was handed a brand-new laptop, courtesy of Eduloan.

The gift came in particularly handy for the third-year BSc student in information technology, as he intends to do postgraduate studies straight after graduating.

"This means I can now take my work home and not always come to the labs for my projects," a jubilant Ngqakaza said.

Eduloan chief executive officer Johan Wasserfall said that their tradition has always been to provide gifts to clients at every year-end. However, last year they consolidated the funds that would have been spent on the gifts to provide a laptop for the most deserving student at each participating institution.

"In celebrating our valued partnerships with institutions, last year we decided to offer gifts that will make a difference, and asked universities to select deserving students," he explained.

Ngqakaza was chosen because he has been on the Chancellor's List - a list of students doing well academically - for two years running, and is currently in the top spot.

Wasserfall said they have been getting positive responses from all institutions, and hope to continue the tradition in future. The machine was presented to vice-chancellor Dr Max Price on 31 March.