Canyon Coal bursary recipient bags engineering degree

Canyon Coal Bursary recipient and engineering graduate Mduduzi Magagula

Mduduzi handling a practical task during his vacation work experience at Khanye Colliery in 2023

Mduduzi Magagula, now working as a graduate mechanical engineer in the construction sector, achieved his lifelong dream through a full Canyon Coal bursary that enabled him to pursue his career. In May 2025, Mduduzi graduated from the University of Pretoria with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. The company’s bursary, internship, and learnership programmes are designed to support young people from local communities by equipping them with valuable skills and qualifications, ultimately improving their chances of participating in the economy.

“This achievement is not mine alone; it is shared with all those who have supported, guided, and believed in me throughout the years,” Mduduzi wrote in an impassioned LinkedIn post. Born in Pretoria, Mduduzi spent most of his formative years in Phalaborwa, Limpopo, before relocating to Bronkhorstspruit, where he completed his matric at Cultura High School in 2020. By the time he was in Grade 7, Mduduzi’s technology teacher had already spotted his talent for understanding mechanical components. Mduduzi believes receiving the bursary gave him the boost he needed to sharpen his talents. The bursary covered tuition fees, accommodation, textbooks, and meals.

“Getting the opportunity was a relief, because I could not afford tertiary on my own. It was like a weight lifted off my parents’ shoulders when it came to financial responsibility, especially at that time, because both my parents had retired,” he remarks. Many tertiary students in South Africa struggle to afford fees, with the country’s student debt crisis running into billions of rands. The bursary also opened networks for Mduduzi to do a few months of vacation work at Canyon Coal’s Khanye Colliery, where he got hands-on exposure to Mechanical Engineering within the mining space. “I then connected with the mine engineering manager, Tshepho Mokwele, who played a very big role in mentoring and guiding me, along with his engineering team. It was a very good experience,” he recalls.

Mduduzi says the experience he earned during his time at Khanye prepared him for his current role. Canyon Coal’s Social Licensing Manager, Xolile Mankayi, congratulated Mduduzi, saying his achievement was a testament to the impact of SLP programmes. “Mduduzi’s story reflects what we seek to achieve through our programmes, to see young people excelling in their chosen fields,” Mankayi concludes.