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This project is growing the next generation of business leaders – while they are still at university

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‘Most of us went to university to be hired by some major corporation, but that world and that thinking is changing’

If South Africa could build entrepreneurial mind-sets at universities, it could make a dent in the high unemployment rate.

This is the concept behind an innovative project by the higher education and training department in collaboration with Universities SA.

Emulating the idea set by reality TV show Dragon’s Den, students from the country’s 26 universities get to pitch their idea or business to a panel of investors.

If it is a viable business option, they could receive a cash injection to kick-start or grow their businesses through the entrepreneurship intervarsity competition.

“This is a journey about building entrepreneurial mind-sets at universities. It is about socialising the concept of entrepreneurship as a career choice,” said Malindi Kunene, who is the convener of community of practice for student entrepreneurship within the department’s entrepreneurship development in higher education programme.

The students have already been through internal and regional rounds at their universities.

Having started with more than 1 000 entries from students from across all 26 public universities in March this year, the final round of the entrepreneurship intervarsity competition was hosted at the Southern Sun OR Tambo International Airport last Wednesday, when the 28 finalists submitted their innovative ideas or existing businesses in one of four categories: innovative business ideas, tech business, social impact and general business.

The room was abuzz as anxious participants from institutions, including North-West University, the University of Zululand, the Tshwane University of Technology, Wits University and the University of Cape Town could smell the prize money.

The winner from each category received R10 000 and the overall winner was awarded R50 000.

However, “not everything is about money” said one finalist.

He said “the exposure, experience and networking would do nothing less than build and grow” his business.

Kunene addressed the students who would later present their proposals to possible investors and judges.

“Most of us went to university to be hired by some major corporation, but that world and that thinking is changing,” she said.

“It is about making sure people learn about the fact that they can take control of building the economy and, as an entrepreneur, you can become part of those drivers that grow the economy,” Kunene said.

According to Stats SA, young people aged 15 to 24 were the most vulnerable in the labour market. The unemployment rate among this age group was 55.2% in the first quarter of this year.

Those aged 15 to 34 accounted for 63.4% of the total number of unemployed persons.

“We want to demonstrate to students that you can be an entrepreneur and a student at the same time. But, also, that business is an option as opposed to employment. It’s a way for students not to be discouraged about their futures by worrying about not getting employment after the fact,” said Norah Clarke, the director of the entrepreneurship development in higher education programme, who has driven the initiative.

“We want to grow the next generation of business leaders now, while they are still at university.”

One of the “dragons” in the “den”, was Joy Manotwana, the woman enterprise specialist at the Industrial Development Corporation.

Manotwana believes the initiative would decrease the numbers of unemployed youth.

“This initiative will help to shift the mind-set of students, from a consumer mind-set to a producer one,” she said.

“This initiative equips studentpreneurs with the necessary skills to be an entrepreneur while at university. The goal is to mobilise national student and graduate resources to create successful enterprises that will ultimately lead to both wealth and job creation,” she said.

THE SOCIAL IMPACTER 

One of the 28 finalists Phakiso Masooa’s dream is to have a positive impact in society and especially in uplifting the youth. Having struggled through his high school years he says he wants better for his generation

Having grown up on the streets of Soweto and attending Reasoma Secondary School, it has always been Phakiso Masooa’s dream to make a difference.

The 23-year-old, second-year BA student told City Press that his own high school struggles propelled him to reach out to pupils in the same environment. 

“I went to a school in the township and I would see from those in grades above mine, that after matric they were unable to get access to university – either because of a lack of funding or not having access to information or maybe because of not having a conducive learning environment. 

“And the alternative was usually drugs or crime,” the young entrepreneur said. 

“I knew from what I saw that I wanted to change that. I wanted better for the youth, for my generation. That is when I came up with the idea of bringing pupils together and finding a way to help them by exposing them to opportunities.” 

His business, Mentees Ark, offers tutoring sessions, career counselling and mentorship to high school pupils, who are either struggling academically or have not been exposed to what could be after high school. 

He and his team try, as much as possible, to expose pupils to companies or organisations that focus on their preferred field so the person can get a feel for it.

They also arrange field trips for pupils to go to universities. 

“We charge our students R150 a month and we sell personalised booklets with question papers for R50 each,” he said. 

Although the Mentees Ark is now in only one school, Seana Marena High School, in Soweto, the aim is to help as many pupils as possible.

THE UNEMPLOYED GRADUATE

Nandi Khoza is a unemployed graduate.

‘All I have ever been told growing up, was that I needed to go to university, complete my degree and I would get employed. 

However, we later rather than sooner realise as graduates that this is not always the case.

These were the words of a “tired” 23-year-old Nandi Khoza, who holds a degree in development studies but can’t find a job.

“Once you finish your degree new challenges come. You realise that a degree doesn’t equal job security,” she said.

Khoza, who studied at Nelson Mandela University in Port Elizabeth, said she had applied for a number of jobs, including those not related to the field she studied and had been turned away because of a lack of experience.

Although not taking part, Khoza is positive about the entrepreneur initiative.

“Something like this would have helped while I was in university.

“Imagine all the people who have graduated and now have nothing to do.

“It shows how big a role entrepreneurship plays in the lives of young South Africans because myself and some of my friends have actually been working on starting an NGO.

“Entrepreneurship is key without taking away anything from being employed.”

INNOVATIVE BUSINESS IDEA

Entrepreneur, Northwest University student Boitshepo Gopane has set her eyes on making recycling the next big thing

For North-West University student Boitshepo Gopane, recycling is the future and her business, WeClean Recyclers, was the perfect way to make sure “we save the environment”.

“I come from an underprivileged community in Mahikeng, where people have taken up recycling as a means of putting a roof over their heads and food on their tables,” she said.

“What actually drives this is the realisation that beyond waste, there is so much more,” she said.

Gopane (27) collects recyclables, such as paper, plastic, glass and metal, to sell them to recycling companies, such as Petco, which deals with plastics, and the Glass Recycling Company.

Her company falls into the innovative business idea category – she has a good idea that could solve a problem and sustain herself but has not been able to pursue it as a business.

“At the moment it is not a business; my family and I do this by volunteering. However, because I am on the enterprising women programme – a North-West University short-learning programme that helps start-up female entrepreneurs achieve their goals and realise their business dreams – I am doing research on recycling and I am completing it this year,” Gopane said.

“I truly believe that people have not seen the positive effects this kind of work could have in terms of reducing unemployment. Anyone can do it. I have a strong belief that recycling could be one of the many solutions to unemployment in the country and we benefit twice in one go because we are saving the planet as well.”

THE EXISTING BUSINESS OWNER

Siphelele Mdletshe is the owner of Mdletshe Pride – his “pride and joy”. He supplies fridges on a monthly rental basis to students at the University of Zululand.

Having started out with only two fridges, 23-year-old LLB student Mdletshe is now the proud owner of more than 20 fridges.

When he was a first-year student in 2015 he realised many students in residences didn’t have fridges.

“I saw this as an opportunity to offer a fridge rental service to students at a student-friendly amount of R300 a month for a double-door refrigerator.”

It all started when he posted on the university’s Facebook page asking if students would be interested in renting a fridge.

“The response was overwhelming – more than 200 responses from interested people – but I had to start with the two fridges I could afford,” Mdletshe said proudly.

He described the rejection he received as he approached different entities for assistance.

“The business is growing but there is a lack of support for people like us from private institutions and many other people, including SMMEs [small, micro and medium enterprises] that I approached.”

Mdletshe is firmly rooted in his community and said he would be “nothing without others”.

“I realised at a young age that my parents could not take care of all 10 of us because we were struggling. I decided to move out of home to ease the stress of 10 children. I started hustling at a young age. Even in primary school I would sell sweets and such. My love for business developed at an early age,” he said.

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