There is a shortage of “formal” jobs in South Africa, and while many are encouraged to go the entrepreneurial route, starting a successful SMME is often easier said than done.
Access to start-up capital and expansion capital, as well as a lack of business management experience are often the main barriers to young entrepreneurs.
If you are a young person in South Africa, where do you even start?
It was with this question in mind that I went to Faiez Jacobs, MP and Whip for Small Business Development.
I was truly expecting to be frustrated and disappointed by the lack of initiatives and assistance available to youthful entrepreneurs.
Therefore, I was utterly shocked when I saw just how many youth-empowering initiatives there are!
Yet, the young people in our communities simply do not seem to know about it.
Jacobs directed me to the 2021 Youth Entrepreneurial Programmes as set out by national government.
Here are some public sector programmes I came across:
Department of Small Business Development:
Youth Start-Up Support Programme (YSSP). This is one of the programmes through which the department aims to provide financial and operational support to SMMEs and co-operatives.
During the current financial year, the department plans to provide support to 5000 start-up youth-owned businesses.
Township and Rural Entrepreneurship Programme (TREP).
TREP is dedicated to provide support to the township and rural enterprises with an emphasis on enterprises owned and managed by the designated groups including youth-owned enterprises to increase their capacity to access economic opportunities and enhance their competitiveness.
The TREP programmes are:
Autobody Repairers and Mechanics
Spaza Shops and General Support Scheme
Bakeries and Confectioneries
Clothing
Textile and Leather Scheme
Butcheries Support Programme
Manufacturing
Department of Trade, Industry and Competition:
Gro-E Youth Scheme - The IDC’s objective through the Gro-EYouth Scheme is to encourage youth entrepreneurship and employment creation, thereby growing South Africa’s economy.
It is available to South Africans and permanent residents up to and inclusive of the age of 35 years at the time of final approval. There are other requirements as well.
Department of Rural Development and Land Reform:
The Department is responsible for the National Rural Youth Service Corps (NARYSEC) programme, a 24-month skills development programme within the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform which targets unemployed rural youth aged between 18–25 in possession of Grade 12 certificate.
The strategic outcomes of the programme in the long term include the following:
- A decline in the level of youth unemployment in rural areas;
- An increase in literacy and skills;
- An increase in disposable income of youth in rural areas as a result of employment and entrepreneurial opportunities; and
- A decreased dependence on transfers from family members working in urban areas.
Department of Public Works and Infrastructure:
The Vuk’uphile Learnership Programme is intended to develop emerging contractors into skilled contractors able to execute labour-intensive projects.
The emphasis of the programme is to develop administrative, technical, contractual, managerial and entrepreneurial skills of the learners.
A total of 98 construction projects with work to the value of R225 million has been allocated to Vuk’uphile contractors in the 2020/21 financial year.
Out of 558 beneficiaries, 276 of them were young people.
There are many more opportunities available, but space prohibits me from listing them all here, do yourself a favour and go online to learn more about them.
So, what is the problem? None of the above is easy.
From the conceptualisation of a business, through all the administrative processes, to the ultimate success of the business, takes hard work, sacrifice, patience and commitment.
We have to ask ourselves whether we are willing to offer that or whether we prefer to stay in our comfort zones and just let opportunities pass us by?
Help is available.
It greatly pains me that many youth in less privileged areas do not have the resources of wifi, computers and printers at their disposal.
This already makes them despondent, even when they do see these opportunities.
I asked Jacobs how he and his team could assist entrepreneurs.
He responded by saying: “The ANC Parliamentary Constituency Office in Athlone will gladly assist with basic applications, by making available these resources that many lack.
“In saying that, we need to be clear that we cannot commit to physically doing the work for everyone, but if there are young people in our communities who are serious about starting their own businesses, and who want to go the route of getting all their documents and administration in order, so that they may apply for opportunities and funding, they are welcome to contact us on 021 697 4183.”
I also found the Department of Small Business Development page on Facebook extremely useful.
There is a huge amount of information available on entrepreneurial opportunities for youth, and advice for SMMEs.
You can also access information on www.dsbd.gov.za
Ons moet wakker slaap, mense!
We are spending time and data on memes and TikTok videos while others take the opportunities available and run with it.
Identify gaps, find the information and make the decision to commit and act on the training, funding and opportunities available.
You may sink, swim or thrive – but at least try.