“Pay It Forward”: Local Tycoon Gives R1 Million to Students Struggling To Afford Tertiary Education

• Entrepreneur and philanthropist Zunaid Moti launched a R1 million education initiative to help 100 students
• Each student will receive cash towards their registration or tuition fees, with the funds paid directly to their chosen institution
• Students must record a 90-second video explaining what they plan to study and why the opportunity matters to them

A local businessman is giving struggling students a real shot at studying in 2026. Zunaid Moti announced that he’s giving away R1 million through his MotiMoves Pay It Forward project to help 100 students start university or college in 2026. Each one will get R10,000 paid straight to their school for registration or tuition.

Moti said he knows how tough it is for young people to afford higher education and wants to help ease some of that pressure. Anyone 18 or older who’s been accepted to study next year can apply by posting a short video about themselves, what they want to study, and why it matters to them.

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The video must be shared on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, or X, tagging Zunaid Moti and using the tags: #MotiMoves and #PayItForward. Applications will close on 15 January 2026, and the winners will be announced the next day.

Mzansi reacts to the R1 million giveaway

Social media users flooded the comments section with gratitude and questions:

@taswell88 said:

"What a game-changer. Thanks for helping the youth."

@Rose Richmond-Nkosi gushed:

"Be blessed for your spirit of abundance🥰🥰🥰."

@modjadji( the sun) added:

"God bless you, sir, for our future leaders..."

@Xulu2 asked:

"Please, can I be helped through this project? I'm already in university."

@luciamofomate questioned:

"God bless 🙌, what about those studying on part part-time sir, some are really struggling 🙏 😢 Extend it to them."

Who is Zunaid Moti

Zunaid Moti posted a video about the opportunity on his TikTok page @zunaidmoti, explaining that he's been worrying about education and how it affects young entrepreneurs in South Africa. He knows it's the one thing that can actually change the economy, change lives, and change futures, so he decided to create Pay It Forward.

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According to the Zunaid Moti website, he didn't grow up with money. He used to wash the school bus on weekends just so he and his sister could get the 110km round trip to and from school every day. Through pure determination and having a good mentor, he made over R40 million from selling shares in a business just before he turned 22.

Now he's built multimillion-rand companies and is one of the biggest business names in Africa. His platform, MotiMoves, is his way of sharing everything he's learned with the next generation of entrepreneurs. He's been behind some big ventures across Africa, like African Chrome Fields in Zimbabwe. He's also involved in giving back through Moti Cares, which has helped hundreds of thousands of people across South Africa with things like blanket drives and emergency relief.

Zunaid has challenged other big companies and business leaders to join in and help more students. He said every business talks about empowerment, but empowerment starts with access to education. Even a small contribution can make a real difference. He's not trying to fund entire degrees, just trying to help knock down some of the barriers.

Watch the TikTok clip below:

Other stories about people giving back

• Briefly News recently reported on two women handing out food to children who depended on the soup kitchen for meals.
• A kind woman prepared almost 80 meals for people in need, showing how she spent just over R700 on all the ingredients.
• A Potchefstroom man shared a video showing volunteers cleaning up a high school, removing clutter that had built up over the years.

Source: Briefly News