‘Useful networking forum for diaspora’
EMERGING entrepreneurs in South Africa are hampered by a lack of skills and business acumen, largely due to a lack of entrepreneurial universities, says Minority Front leader Shameen Thakur Rajbansi.
She added that, because of this, funds given by the government to young entrepreneurs mainly went to waste.
Speaking to POST on the sidelines of the Global Organisation of People of Indian Origin (Gopio) business summit at the weekend, Thakur Rajbansi said she had unsuccessfully tabled a motion in Parliament in 2008 for dedicated business universities.
“One thing I wanted, apart from more medical schools, was an entrepreneurial university, and the reason for this was seeing how other countries succeeded in curbing unemployment,” she said.
“If we don’t teach them the skills, we will give them money and set them up to fail. I thought that if we had such a university, diverse skills could be introduced to students.”
She said young entrepreneurs struggled without incubator programmes, mentorship opportunities and help with business plans.
“Given mentors and coaches, the students could graduate and go out and can put those ideas into practice.
“Once they succeed, it will create jobs, and other people can diversify that idea.”
Thakur Rajbansi said it was not too late to begin such an undertaking and there were ways to work around teething problems such as a lack of lecturers.
“So far we have wasted so much of money on youth development because we gave them money, but they didn’t know what to do with it. Even if they had a plan, it was not well thought out.
“Entrepreneurial universities will hand-hold them.”
Meanwhile, she said Gopio could prove a useful networking forum for the Indian diaspora.
“They can help each other. They can work in a productive manner.
“The topics at the event spoke to the heart of many issues in Africa. A summit like this is well received at this time because we need it,” said Thakur Rajbansi.
“Resolutions (made at the conference) are coming from an international organisation, so the government will listen.”