Forging Pathways to Success: EDHE Launches 2024 Impact Report

On the evening of 13 March 2025, the Radisson Hotel Convention Centre near O.R. Tambo Airport buzzed with anticipation as leaders from across South Africa’s higher education sector gathered for a landmark event.

The Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) Programme, operating under Universities South Africa (USAf), unveiled its first annual impact report while simultaneously formalising critical partnerships to tackle graduate unemployment.

The event served dual purposes against the backdrop of South Africa’s staggering 45.5% youth unemployment rate: officially launching the EDHE 2024 Impact Report and cementing strategic collaborations, between the British Council South Africa and the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC ) with the EDHE Programme.

Representatives from the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), university leadership, Community of Practice chairs, and Economic Activation Officers attended the event, signalling the widespread commitment to developing entrepreneurship among South Africa’s graduates. The evening’s proceedings represented more than ceremonial handshakes—they marked a coordinated effort to align resources and vision in addressing one of the country’s most pressing economic challenges.

Dr Matutu did not shy away from identifying troubling employment patterns revealed by StatsSA data. “There’s a strange phenomenon in South Africa where there are more women graduates than male graduates. But when you look at the workforce, males have higher employment rates than females,” she pointed out. This disparity becomes even more pronounced when race is factored in, with black graduates facing significantly more barriers to employment than their white counterparts

The USAf CEO presented entrepreneurship as a proven solution to these disparities, highlighting how the British Council partnership has already supported women student entrepreneurs through training programs and international exposure via a recent Student Women’s Economic Empowerment Programme (SWEEP) UK Residential Programme.

Regarding the DTIC partnership, Dr Matutu spoke candidly about gaps in university entrepreneurial ecosystems. “What we are short of are institutions which can be put together in such a way that they close the gaps. A student shouldn’t have to go from here to there to there to get their ideas out there in the market,” she explained. The DTIC’s expertise, particularly in exports, represents a strategic opportunity to prepare student entrepreneurs for domestic and international markets.

In a moment of recognition that drew nods of agreement from attendees, Dr Matutu acknowledged the dedication of university staff driving entrepreneurship initiatives: “They are doing so unpaid, out of their free will and additional work, because they are very passionate about what they see as being required by our country.” These committed professionals—many of whom were present at the event—form the backbone of entrepreneurship development across South Africa’s higher education landscape.

With South Africa’s pressing unemployment challenges framed and collaborative solutions articulated, Dr Matutu officially declared the proceedings open, setting the stage for an evening of partnerships and commitments to transform graduate unemployment through entrepreneurship.

Tshabalala framed these challenges as “seriously vexing” daily issues that young graduates face when trying to earn a living for themselves and their families. He specifically identified the “triple challenges of poverty, unemployment, and inequality” that the 7th government administration has prioritised addressing through its Medium-Term Development Plan.

“Inclusive growth and job creation, reducing poverty and tackling the high cost of living, and building a capable, ethical and developmental state,” Tshabalala listed the government’s key priorities. “You’ll agree that this intervention through entrepreneurship development in higher education is well positioned to respond to the top two priorities.”

The Chief Director highlighted the harsh reality that many universities and TVET graduates end up “languishing at home without any income” despite their qualifications, underscoring why entrepreneurship development has become a critical focus for DHET.

Tshabalala confirmed DHET’s financial commitment to entrepreneurship development: “We have dedicated close to 30 million rands in the current three-year cycle plan, which will be dispersed in three annual tranches of 10 million.” This substantial investment demonstrates the department’s belief in entrepreneurship as a powerful tool to address youth unemployment.

Tshabalala connected EDHE’s work to the National Plan for Post-School Education and Training for 2021-2030, which envisions “a South Africa with reduced unemployment, eroded poverty and reduced inequality, and a socially just, inclusive and peaceful country.”

Drawing inspiration from Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Africa’s first female president, Tshabalala challenged attendees: “The size of your dreams must always exceed your current capacity to achieve them.” He urged all stakeholders to dream big while developing the capacity to realise those dreams through mutually beneficial partnerships.

Following a video showcasing EDHE’s achievements, Gumbo presented the report as a strategic document. “We are launching it during the Economic Activation Officers Workshop, where it is important that we correctly document all the entrepreneurial activities and programs of our universities so that we can tell the story repeatedly to the point where we’re looking for partners and funders.”

The report revealed impressive statistics about EDHE’s reach. From a student population of approximately 1.1 million across South Africa’s universities, the Entrepreneurship Intervarsity competition received 1,667 applications, resulting in 599 quality submissions after vetting, excluding the Business Ideas Category for 2024. Notably, 212 were female students, with Gumbo observing that this relatively low number “already shows you the need for SWEEP,” referring to the Student Women’s Economic Empowerment Programme. From the 165 contestants who advanced in the internal rounds, 23 finalists proceeded to the final at the annual EDHE Awards, held in November 2024, where the National Studentpreneur of the Year, Mr Emmanuel Kiyonga, walked away with prize money to the value of R100 000.

The inclusivity of EDHE’s programming was highlighted by the participation of 37 students with disabilities, with one of them among the 4 overall winners. Gumbo emphasised that the winning businesses, except for the research-based category, were all “post-revenue businesses already trading.”

The report documented SWEEP’s impact with over 500 members, 96 executive chapter workshop attendees, and 25 participants in the UK exchange programme. The 6th annual Student Entrepreneurs Indaba, hosted at the University of Witwatersrand (Wits) in partnership with DHET, attracted over 300 attendees, including 220 studentpreneurs and 60 academics, and featured guest visits to 14 businesses where students could engage directly with founders running successful enterprises in 8 different industries.

The report also detailed the program’s multiplier effect through training initiatives. ‘Train the trainer’ sessions prepared university leaders and partners to drive entrepreneurship at their campuses. The Community of Practice (CoP) workshops brought together 12 chairpersons and representatives from 52 Economic Activation Offices across 25 universities.

These CoPs form a crucial part of EDHE’s strategic structure. Five specialised groups focus on different aspects of entrepreneurship development: Entrepreneurial Universities, Entrepreneurship Learning and Teaching, Entrepreneurship Research, Student Entrepreneurship Coordinators, and Studentpreneurs. Chairpersons and deputy chairs lead these groups from various universities across South Africa.

In terms of student reach, Gumbo presented an impressive figure: “Collectively, we reached 3,718 students in our campuses in 2023, and then in 2024, we reached 3,875 students.” This combined impact of over 7,500 students demonstrates the growing footprint of entrepreneurship development across South African universities.

The report, sharing various studentpreneur success stories, acknowledged key funders, including DHET’s 30 million rand grant over three years, the British Council, Ashoka, SAB Foundation, Standard Bank, Allan Gray Orbis Foundation, Wits University, Wakanda Food Accelerator Dark Kitchens, and others who contributed to EDHE’s success in 2024.

“I thank all of you for making 2024 a success,” Gumbo concluded. “We are already counting down to seeing the 2025 Impact Report.”