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I AM not given to displays of sentiment or emotion, but heck, since it's Heritage Day I will depart from form.
This column, then, is to inspire young South Africans to recognise the opportunities in front of them and to seize the chances they're given.
For me, one of the most disappointing things I have seen in the last few weeks is the apathetic attitude of many young South Africans toward their school work, exams, career prospects, or even toward the opportunities they are gifted in the working environment.
Being a lowly financial journalist possessing neither wit, charisma nor ground-breaking social accolades, I am forced to point to the achievements of two young South Africans to whom I have chatted recently.
First up is the 26-year-old entrepreneur, Justin Stanford, of 4Di Capital and one of the big drivers of the Silicon Cape initiative for technology companies.
On a Saturday morning, when many other young South Africans are sleeping off the excess of a Friday night, or indulging in weekend activities after a long week at work, Justin was going for breakfast with the Premier of the Western Cape, Helen Zille.
He was trying to drum up support for the Silicon Cape initiative. If he can get buy-in from local government - which he appears to have done - then his contribution will assist young South African innovators and entrepreneurs going forward.
Science hub in Klerksdorp
The second is a 22-year-old Stuart Ntlathi, whose mission in life is to develop the country's science and technology skills.
Stuart established the Stuart Ntlathi Science, Engineering and Technology Institute in Klerksdorp to try and promote skills development, and to help young South Africans discover a love for science and technology. The aim is to develop a new generation of engineers and scientists.
When I interviewed him this week, he said the institute had over 21 000 members, and at a recent competition it received over 3 000 entries.
The amount of "buy-in" Stuart has received from the Department of Science and Technology (DST)? Sweet bugger all.
That hasn't stopped him, however.
Be you 26 years old, or 22; black, white; from Cape Town or Klerksdorp, it doesn't matter. Background and opportunity are not always the same thing.
I appreciate Justin Stanford has certain economic advantages over other South Africans, and that we are not all going to be standout entrepreneurs and venture capitalists before our 30th birthdays. But the issue is around the attitude and the fact that certain individuals are able to see opportunities others focus on negatives.
Rewriting the rules
What I found inspiring and refreshing about guys like Justin is that they are not deterred by the supposed limited job opportunities open for white South African males. Nor the stereotype that Klerksdorp is an unlikely hub for science and engineering development.
They replace pessimism and defeatism with excietment about opportunities. They are just finding ways to rewrite the rule book.
As I said, I am not one of those guys who rushes out to "ra-ra" at every given opportunity. In fact, at a low point in my life, amid broken small business plans, the last thing I wanted to hear was of other people doing well for themselves.
The fact of the matter is that young South Africans are looking for role models and we are producing them left, right and centre.
Every day we hear about South African businesses - particularly technology firms - that are punching above their weight and competing on an international landscape.
My humble message on Heritage Day for young South Africans is that there are so many opportunities out there for companies of all shapes and sizes. We need to celebrate the successes of young South Africans and hold them up to the rest of the country as an example of what can be achieved.
That's how to see more positives than negatives.
- Fin24.com
