Students would do well to start business enterprises while still studying, to optimise the opportunity of experimenting in universities’ protected environments that offer support and invaluable networking opportunities. This was one of many pearls of wisdom shared with student entrepreneurs by the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) Chancellor, Dr Judy Dlamini, last week.
She was welcoming a 300-strong gathering to the 6th annual Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) Studentpreneurs Indaba, that was hosted at Wits, in Johannesburg, from 5-6 September. The delegates, mostly students from most public universities but also representing government and industry stakeholders, were united on the goal to empower students and universities to embrace entrepreneurship as a driver of South Africa’s future.
Dr Dlamini (right) said she herself had learnt entrepreneurship at the age of nine, working with her older sister at their father’s tuck shop over weekends, “experimenting in a protected environment at someone else’s risk.” She said there was abundant documented evidence of successful businesses started by students during their university years. She cited Khonology, an Information Technology business started 11 years ago, which remains standing strong today.
“What is special about Khonology is that the three founders met here at Wits where they started a student owned and managed IT consultancy and met the fourth founder who opened doors for them, sponsored them and became their partner,” Dr Dlamini said. “When other students were sending CVs, Khonology founders were sending business plans. Eleven years later they are still standing and growing.” What’s more, this business founders did complete their honours degrees while running the consultancy – clear testament that entrepreneurship and academic success coexist.
Business sustainability critical
Dr Dlamini emphasised the importance of sustaining student businesses, noting that up to 70% of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) fail within the first five years. In that context, she commended Wits for the strides the institution had taken to strengthen its entrepreneurship programme. These included reviewing the institution’s Intellectual Property policy – action that was now bearing fruit by unleashing staff and students’ innovation potential. The university’s innovation strategy had also led to the establishment of the Wits Innovation Centre, also unlocking resources from executive management, towards innovation and entrepreneurship. Thus, she praised Wits, together with the EDHE programme, for equipping students with the requisite tools for business success, and sustainability.
She also recognised the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) for establishing the EDHE programme eight years ago; and Universities SA (USAf) for enabling student entrepreneurship across public universities. Other praise was heaped on academics and other players sharing knowledge, best practices, practical learnings and networking opportunities, and on the Department of Basic Education for having introduced the E3 initiative (Entrepreneurship, Employability and Education) whose goal is to ensure that education produces a new generation of engaged citizens, prepared through schooling to build South Africa’s economic engine.
A call for an inclusive programme
As she underlined the significance of entrepreneurship in bolstering economic growth and restoring human dignity, especially in youth, Dr Dlamini added that it was no surprise that the United Nations had identified entrepreneurship as one of the key drivers of six out of the 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs), namely, SDG1 (for eradicating poverty), SDG5 (gender equality), SDG9 (industry, innovation and infrastructure), SDG10 (reducing inequalities), SDG16 (peace, justice and strong institutions) & SDG17 (partnerships in addressing all 17 goals).”
The Wits Chancellor then advocated for inclusion in entrepreneurship, specifically of women. “When we leave out 51% of our population, women, prosperity will remain elusive,” she said. Pointing out the structural barriers that women face in accessing investors and mentors, Dr Dlamini pleaded with EDHE leaders to “come up with strategies for growing female student participation in annual entrepreneurship competitions. This growth should be monitored to ensure gender equality is achieved within your generation because my generation hasn’t succeeded. I also encourage all 26 public universities to have chapters of SWEEP, the Student Women Economic Empowerment Programme.” Whereas Dr Dlamini had known of 13 chapters – the last time she checked, she was advised of significant growth of the SWEEP chapters to 19 at 17 universities, as of July 2024.
Entrepreneurship relevant to all career choices
Turning to the budding entrepreneurs, Dr Dlamini stressed the importance of entrepreneurial training, which, she said, “stands you in good stead for an innovate mindset, problem solving and the potential for financial independence.” She encouraged lifelong learning, crediting it for opening doors to different networks. “The saying that no human being is an island is real, therefore relationships matter,” she stated, further emphasising the importance of forming relationships with those whose values aligned with one’s own. “Don’t ever ignore the signs of values misalignment. Each time I‘ve ignored that fact I’ve lived to regret it.”
Encouraging the students to optimise the opportunities presented to them, Dr Dlamini drew their attention to Neo Hitiri, a Wits alumnus who invented Pelebox, a smart locker system that enables patients to collect their repeat chronic medication in under two minutes, thus eliminating what would have been up to three hours of waiting time at public health facilities. Pelebox was named among Time magazine’s 100 Best Inventions for 2019.
Dr Dlamini concluded by saying that innovations like Hitiri’s remain within reach, provided studentpreneurs abide by the adage that “the best preparation for tomorrow is doing your best today…. All of the planning and work you do every day, no matter how menial it might seem, will be the things that set you up for your future.”
Funded by the DHET, the EDHE programme, implemented from and administered under USAf, aims to integrate entrepreneurship into the core functions of universities, aligning them with societal needs and equipping students with the skills necessary to tackle the nation’s economic challenges.
In the opening session of the Indaba, Dr Phethiwe Matutu (left), Chief Executive Officer of Universities South Africa (USAf), emphasised the EDHE programme’s alignment with the broader goals of USAf, noting that universities play an important role in shaping entrepreneurial mindsets and fostering innovation. She highlighted EDHE’s focus on harnessing and showcasing student businesses, promoting the scholarship of entrepreneurship, and getting universities to be entrepreneurial. She encouraged universities to embrace entrepreneurial practices, both as an academic pursuit and a means to achieve financial sustainability. In addition, she acknowledged Dr Dlamini’s contribution to the establishment of a Research Chair in Entrepreneurship at Tshwane University of Technology.
As a standout feature of the EDHE programme, the Studentpreneur Indaba offers a platform for students to explore entrepreneurial opportunities, learn from successful business leaders, and network with peers and industry experts. Dr Matutu acknowledged the vital role of partners like the Small Enterprise Development Agency (Seda) in building a supportive ecosystem for aspiring entrepreneurs.
The keynote address was delivered by the Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training, Mr Buti Manamela (right), who underscored the government’s commitment to supporting student entrepreneurs.
He also mentioned specific initiatives that his department was focusing on and supporting, such as the University of the Witwatersrand’s Student Entrepreneurship Education and Development (SEED) programme, launched in 2023. “The programme aims to equip students with entrepreneurial knowledge, resources, and skill sets to start and run successful business ventures,” Mr Manamela said, adding that students involved in SEED are linked to a supportive environment that gives them access to an entrepreneurial ecosystem, provides mentorship and develops in them, a resilient mindset.
The second and third initiatives, he said, were being undertaken at two historically disadvantaged institutions. He cited the University of the Western Cape’s Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, whose vision is to develop and grow entrepreneurial thinking — acting within all disciplines across campus, the city and the nation. The Minister also recognised the University of Limpopo, which, as part of mitigating socio-economic challenges through business initiatives, had trained students to champion entrepreneurship, in partnership with the Leuphana University of Lüneburg in Germany.
Mr Manamela explained that the EDHE programme is the Department of Higher Education and Training’s response to South Africa’s significant economic challenges. It also responds to the demands of today’s world of work which compels universities to foster entrepreneurship as a promising avenue for innovation and job creation. He said these stem from the recommendations of the 2014 Human Resources Development Council report, which positioned entrepreneurship as a key strategy to reduce youth unemployment in South Africa.
In closing, Deputy Minister Manamela expressed hope that the two-day event would continue to inspire students and help address pressing challenges in entrepreneurship. “The engagements here are for students, by students, and we hope they will lead to practical solutions that empower studentpreneurs to thrive in the face of adversity.”
From left, Dr Edwell Gumbo, Director: Entrepreneurship, USAf; Mr Tshegofatso Mogaladi, Deputy Dean: Student Affairs, Wits; Mr Phillip Tshabalala, Chief Director: Teaching, Learning and Research Development at the DHET; Dr Phethiwe Matutu, CEO: USAf; Ms Lebohang Dhludhlu, Group CEO, Nkanyezii Group; Dr Judy Dlamini: Chancellor, Wits; Mr Buti Manamela, Deputy Minister, DHET; Ms Elizabeth Masoleng, Enterprise Development Associate: Centre for Entrepreneurship Development at the Tshwane University of Technology and National Deputy Chairperson: EDHE Community of Practice for Student Entrepreneurship Coordinators; and Ms Zana Boshoff, Project Manager: Entrepreneurship, USAf.
The Indaba showcased several student enterprises which, started as small side hustles, had blossomed into thriving businesses. The message was clear: entrepreneurship offers a viable path for students looking to supplement their study expenses, and as a potential career choice. The event encouraged students to explore entrepreneurial ventures, regardless of whether they closely align with their academic disciplines or not. This was to champion the idea that entrepreneurial thinking can be applied across all areas of life.
Knowledge-sharing at the highly interactive Indaba took place in plenary sessions, in panel discussions and breakaway sessions dedicated to specific sub-themes. The networking and welcome social kicked off with a tour of the WITS Entrepreneurship Hub on Day One, and a presentation on the Wits Student entrepreneurship Ecosystem. Successful start-ups were showcased and the 3rd and last day of the conference saw the studentpreneurs being taken on a tour of eight industries in Johannesburg.
The annual Studentpreneurs Indaba is just one of several EDHE initiatives instilling the entrepreneurial way of thinking in students. Others are the annual Student Entrepreneurship Week and the annual Entrepreneurship Intervarsity competition.
With the EDHE programme continuing to discharge its mandate, the future of student entrepreneurship in South Africa looks promising, with more students being empowered to build sustainable businesses and contribute to the nation’s economy.
Khutso Moleko is EDHE’s Media and Marketing Officer, and Sandile Shabalala a Senior Student Engagement Officer.