THE future looks bright for two Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University final-year students who have just been awarded important scholarships.

Zimbabwe-born Nozipho Hokonya, 26, a third-year social work student, was one of 30 hopeful African applicants who applied for the Mandela Rhodes scholarship, while 23-year-old final-year LLB student Hein Visser was a recipient of the Abe Bailey Travel Bursary.

Hokonya said it was a great honour and privilege to have been awarded the bursary.

She passed matric at Dominican Convent High in Bulawayo in 2001.

“The competition for the bursary was tough.

“We had to write a number of essays and went through a process of interviews, the final one at Nelson Mandela’s home in Bishop’s Court in Cape Town.”

Hokonya said the scholarship would pay for her one-year honours studies as well as travel expenses to attend a number of leadership training sessions around the country.

She said she could keep the title of Mandela Rhodes scholar for the rest of her life.

Visser was one of 16 students from all over South Africa selected for their exceptional leadership qualities. His bursary will allow him to travel to the UK for three weeks at the end of this month.

“We’ll be visiting London, Oxford, Cambridge and Edinburgh to promote greater understanding among various languages and cultural backgrounds and to appreciate British history, institutions and culture.”

Visser said he was very excited. “I am very fortunate and over the moon with joy to have received this bursary.”

He matriculated at Outeniqua High School in George in 2003, has already completed a BCom Law degree and is in his final year of a LLB degree at NMMU this year.

He will be doing his articles at a law firm in Cape Town next year.