Humble greetings and welcome. When the late former president, Nelson Rohlihlahla Mandela walked out of the Robben Island on the 11th of February 1990 the vision for a new South Africa started assuming a reality.
The new South Africa is defined in the South African Constitution as a nation ‘for all who live in it.’’ A rainbow nation.
Than, there was an evident need to transform various political, social and economic institutions of South Africa. To ensure inclusiveness and empowerment o every individual.
Twenty six years later the socio-economic inequalities still remains to be addressed.
Economists worldwide have observed that entrepreneurship remains a key mechanism for economic empowerment. In South Africa, entrepreneurship also carries the potential to address the large socio-economic inequalities that have been of concern over the years.
Entrepreneurship provides a sense of an opportunity to many present and future youth who are in South Africa’s educational institutions and those who will be in those institutions as well. Entrepreneurship provides positive progress for economic growth, a better life, social status and the realisation of national aspirations.
The past few years we have seen the unemployment rate range between 25% to 30%. This statistic highlights the urgency to promote entrepreneurship among the youth.
Centres of entrepreneurship, incubators and entrepreneurial universities surely have a greater role to play than ever. The present platform is important. It constitutes much needed dialogue on entrepreneurship countrywide. It facilitates the exchange of critical ideas, the search for solutions and challenges to entrepreneurship. To students, the youth and everyone, a platform like this are critical to the development of entrepreneurship. This platform sharpens the mind, they can be foundations for you to seriously contribute to entrepreneurship.
I also wish to reiterate that innovativeness and creativity are essential elements in entrepreneurship. It encourages for the successful exploitation of possible opportunities, the taking of calculated risk and the realisation of entrepreneurial objectives.
The use of technology and its adoption remains critical as they offer avenues for disruptive entry in sectors and industries. As a result of this, the need to fully take advantage of Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies. A warm welcome and best wishes for your entrepreneurial journey.
Dr Thobekani Lose
Centre Director: Centre for Entrepreneurship Rapid Incubators (CFERI)
Email: tlose@wsu.ac.za
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