Pretune Technologies (Pty) Ltd (Pretune Foundation)

Pretune Technologies is a South African software development company based in Rivonia, Johannesburg. Pretune builds e-commerce platforms and digital solutions for clients in telecommunications and construction, and also distributes Cell C SIM cards in South Africa, according to a provider record checked in August 2026.

Registered name

Pretune Technologies (Pty) Ltd (Pretune Foundation)

Type

Private company (software development and SIM card distribution)

Fields funded

Commerce, computer science, engineering, health sciences, IT, mathematics and science

Website

pretune.co.za

A bursary funded by airtime

The Pretune SIM Card Bursary has an unusual funding model. The Pretune Foundation, which administers the bursary, receives a portion of the airtime revenue generated by the Cell C SIM cards Pretune distributes. Every time a customer on one of those SIM cards buys airtime, a small share of Pretune’s revenue feeds student funding. The model gives the bursary an ongoing income stream rather than depending on a one-off donation or a marketing budget.

That link also explains an unusual preference: BursariesAfrica’s older guide says the bursary gives preference, though not a requirement, to applicants who use a Cell C SIM card distributed by Pretune.

Who the bursary targets

The bursary aims at academically gifted students in genuine financial need who study full-time undergraduate degrees at South African universities in fields Pretune regards as crucial to technological and engineering advancement. BursariesAfrica’s older guide lists accounting, business science, commercial law, computer science, economics, engineering, finance, health sciences, informatics, information technology, mathematics and science, and minimum Matric marks of 50% for all subjects and 60% for Mathematics and English. TVET college students are not considered.

The provider record describes a closing date of 28 February each year and no formal work-back obligation, because the Foundation’s purpose is to grow the pool of ICT and engineering graduates rather than recruit for Pretune.

An uncertain current status

When BursariesAfrica checked on 15 September 2026, Pretune’s website showed only a default web server page with no company content. That can mean a site is being rebuilt or has moved, but it also means BursariesAfrica could not verify whether the bursary will run for 2027.

How to verify the Pretune bursary

Revisit Pretune’s website in January and February 2027, and search for recent, dated news about the Pretune Foundation. Be cautious of copied adverts that repeat old closing dates, and never pay a fee or share banking details to apply. Ask your university’s financial aid office whether it has received Pretune bursary payments recently, which would show that the programme is active.

Apply to NSFAS and other active bursaries at the same time.

See our Computer Science Bursaries list.