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I NEVER suffered through apartheid.
For that reason some might question whether I, as a 29-year-old white male, can throw stones at the likes of Khulubuse Zuma and Zondwa Mandela for the damage they are doing to entrepreneurship in South Africa.
I do, however, foster two black kids (6 and 16 years old) and one white child (7). These youngsters have been let down by failing healthcare (their parents died of Aids) plus welfare and education systems which will not provide too many opportunities for them in this country.
On top of that, I am also fortunate that through our entrepreneur support initiative I interact with young small business owners of all shapes, sizes and races which gives me a sense of the real challenges they face.
Entrepreneurs create jobs - this is a globally recognised fact.
It sends out a stinking message to would-be entrepreneurs that hard work, a willingness to learn and a desire to take personal risks count for little in this country.
You don't have to have experience in running a mine, or study engineering or mining to hold lucrative mining rights. In fact, all you need is the right surname or political connections and you should be fine.
For anybody who throws the above back at me and tells me this is what happened in the apartheid era, read my first line. The time for payback is over.
Instant success without tears or talent
I single out the junior Zumas and Mandelas because they are in a position to influence people positively.
They are attached to people who were heroes and fought so that this generation would have the opportunity to compete on a level playing field.
They fought so that the kids I am currently subsidising and educating would have opportunities that were not available to previous generations.
If I could have one wish granted this year, I would love Zuma and Mandela junior to sit across the table from the 16-year-old and ask them to explain to him how a young, black South African becomes "successful" like them.
Ditto for every time we read business "success" stories about two-man IT businesses with no track record being handed multi-million rand contracts with Cipro, or millions of rands worth of mining rights put on a plate to people who will never ever have to encounter a real-life miner in their working day.
If they were put on the spot, do these people describe themselves as "businessmen" or "entrepreneurs" with a story to tell - or do they ultimately recognise that their success has little to do with their own talents or abilities?
We want to foster a culture of entrepreneurship in South Africa, but we don't have role models that these youngsters can look up to.
In the bad old days we had freedom fighters that like-minded individuals could rally around to break down the door of apartheid.
But at a time when the country is crying out for entrepreneurial role models, the cupboard is bare.
- Fin24.com
For that reason some might question whether I, as a 29-year-old white male, can throw stones at the likes of Khulubuse Zuma and Zondwa Mandela for the damage they are doing to entrepreneurship in South Africa.
I do, however, foster two black kids (6 and 16 years old) and one white child (7). These youngsters have been let down by failing healthcare (their parents died of Aids) plus welfare and education systems which will not provide too many opportunities for them in this country.
On top of that, I am also fortunate that through our entrepreneur support initiative I interact with young small business owners of all shapes, sizes and races which gives me a sense of the real challenges they face.
Entrepreneurs create jobs - this is a globally recognised fact.
It sends out a stinking message to would-be entrepreneurs that hard work, a willingness to learn and a desire to take personal risks count for little in this country.
You don't have to have experience in running a mine, or study engineering or mining to hold lucrative mining rights. In fact, all you need is the right surname or political connections and you should be fine.
For anybody who throws the above back at me and tells me this is what happened in the apartheid era, read my first line. The time for payback is over.
Instant success without tears or talent
I single out the junior Zumas and Mandelas because they are in a position to influence people positively.
They are attached to people who were heroes and fought so that this generation would have the opportunity to compete on a level playing field.
They fought so that the kids I am currently subsidising and educating would have opportunities that were not available to previous generations.
If I could have one wish granted this year, I would love Zuma and Mandela junior to sit across the table from the 16-year-old and ask them to explain to him how a young, black South African becomes "successful" like them.
Ditto for every time we read business "success" stories about two-man IT businesses with no track record being handed multi-million rand contracts with Cipro, or millions of rands worth of mining rights put on a plate to people who will never ever have to encounter a real-life miner in their working day.
If they were put on the spot, do these people describe themselves as "businessmen" or "entrepreneurs" with a story to tell - or do they ultimately recognise that their success has little to do with their own talents or abilities?
We want to foster a culture of entrepreneurship in South Africa, but we don't have role models that these youngsters can look up to.
In the bad old days we had freedom fighters that like-minded individuals could rally around to break down the door of apartheid.
But at a time when the country is crying out for entrepreneurial role models, the cupboard is bare.
- Fin24.com
