As Youth Month draws to a close, the call for young South Africans to embrace entrepreneurship grows louder. But what barriers do they face, and how can we ensure their success?
As Youth Month draws to a close, South Africans have once again heard familiar refrains: government will not create jobs, and young people must instead seize opportunities in entrepreneurship.
We have also grown accustomed to the equally familiar assertion that the youth are the future of the country. Even youth unemployment statistics, however alarming, no longer seem to provoke the level of urgency they should.
Yet the reality is that the economic exclusion facing young South Africans is neither new nor poorly understood.
Government, the private sector, development institutions, and entrepreneurship support organisations have all recognised the urgency of addressing youth unemployment.
