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Johannesburg - About 67% of South African youth believe that a job in government is the best way to earn a good living, according research by the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM).
About 61% think that entrepreneurship is a difficult path that demands too much hard work.
But the learners who participate in the Eskom Simama Ranta Enterprise Education Competition are showing that small business offers exciting opportunities with financial independence.
The competition, the brainchild of the Enterprise with Education Trust is supported by the Eskom Development Foundation, and aims to recognise and reward small businesses clubs in over 2 500 high schools around the country.
The programme does invaluable work in helping to bring to life the economic and management sciences curriculum with practical real-life training.
The Eskom Foundation believes that a powerful mechanism that drives economic growth is enterprise development at both at a business level and a school level.
"Through this initiative the Eskom Foundation hopes to contribute to a thriving economy powered by passionate entrepreneurs who are committed to uplifting their local communities, together we believe we can help build sustainable businesses that drive growth in this country," said Eskom Development Foundation CEO Haylene Liberty-Nel.
The Eskom Simama Ranta Awards form part of the Eskom Business Investment Competition which seeks to support small businesses and create equal business opportunities by recognising and rewarding entrepreneurs and small black business owners to help them cross their next major hurdle in business development.
On September 8 the 27 finalist schools from across South Africa attended the Simama Ranta Awards where the overall winner and provincial winners were announced.
The overall winner was Mbambiso High School in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga. The Boschfontein Youth Club at the school works to help improve their school.
The club runs a vegetable garden which produces vegetables which are used in the school feeding scheme and the rest is sold to the local community.
They also host market days. The club supports local community organisations while also supplying food and care parcels to disadvantaged learners for the school.
The provincial winners are:
- Eastern Cape: Gobizembe High School: The Entrepreneurs;
- Free State: Mamellang/Thuto Secondary School: Mamza Society;
- Gauteng: Poelano Secondary School: Poelano YES Club;
- KwaZulu-Natal: Ekukhuleni Secondary School: Sebenza Kusakanye YES Club;
- Limpopo: Hivuyeriwile Commercial High School: Hivuyeriwile Vuhlalu Designers;
- Mpumalanga: Mbambiso High School: Boschfontein Youth Club;
- Northern Cape: !Xunkhwesa Combined School: San Buzzies;
- North West: Tswaidi High School: Tswaidi YES Members;
- Western Cape: ID Mkhize Secondary School: The Entrepreneurs.
