Each year, the South African private sector invests billions in training and development initiatives, including bursaries to students, believing they will secure valuable points on the skills development scorecard. But when verification time arrives, much of that spend doesn’t count. The money was spent, the intentions were good, but the evidence doesn’t hold up.
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FreepikThis disconnect between spend and score is one of the most common and costly mistakes in transformation. The challenge isn’t in spending; it’s in what the funds are spent on and proving that the spend meets every requirement of the applicable B-BBEE scorecard and Codes. Without the correct documentation and implementation, the investment becomes invisible on the B-BBEE scorecard.
Where things fall apart
In awarding bursaries, the gap usually opens because of poor timing and process. Payments are often made too late in the financial year, when universities may have already closed or their administration is delayed due to student registration at the beginning of the academic year and students are often not available.
Finance teams might have proof of payment, but no supporting invoice or evidence of the students being currently registered at the institution. Transformation teams may have the student’s details, but no updated academic results statement or even a certified ID copy that confirms South African citizenship eligibility or gender.
What seems like a complete evidence record at the time, falls apart because it doesn’t meet the minimum supporting document requirements during verification.
Mariëtte van Wyk 20 Oct 2025 The evidence gap isn’t just about paperwork; it also reveals the extent of disconnect between departments. While HR or transformation teams approve the bursaries and Finance processes the payments, Compliance may only gather documents months later.
By then, students may have moved or changed contact details, universities closed for the holidays, and critical pieces of proof are missing. The result is that there is spend that cannot be claimed or justified, even though the organisation believes it should qualify.
Early advantage
Closing this gap requires planning ahead as well as building systems that keep evidence aligned in real time. Companies that start early in their financial year will have the advantage of clear communication, accessible students, and enough time to secure every required document to substantiate their claim.
Knowing what evidence their verification agency requires and that this evidence must be matched to the same time period and clearly showing the beneficiaries, will enable the organisation to qualify as per the B-BBEE Codes.
Mariëtte van Wyk 21 Nov 2025 Managing evidence centrally instead of leaving it scattered across departments or email chains saves time and energy. A single, shared folder with evidence of each bursary transaction makes it easier to trace every step and verify its accuracy long before verification season. When this process becomes part of the company’s normal routine instead of a last-minute scramble, verification becomes straightforward rather than stressful.
Verification is vital
The lesson is simple: money alone does not secure points. In transformation, training initiatives only result in points on the scorecard when the spend, qualifying beneficiary and contribution type can be substantiated during a B-BBEE verification.
When the bursary process is rushed, fragmented or poorly documented, the return on investment disappears, together with the targeted score. But when planned carefully, tracked continuously and supported by the right systems, every rand invested delivers measurable value.
It is not just about compliance. It is about credibility. The evidence tells the story of whether transformation is something the company does in a hurry at year-end, or something it integrates into the way it does business all year long.
At the BEE Chamber we believe in meticulous document collection and validation. Relationships with all stakeholders is key to ensure successful finalisation of a bursary within the relevant measurement period to secure points and return on your investment.
