A total of 25 young people from wards 4 and 98 attended a business training programme designed to help aspiring and existing entrepreneurs grow sustainable businesses.

The training, arranged through the Small Enterprise Development and Finance Agency (SEDFA), attracted 10 young people from Ward 98 and 15 from Ward 4, and focused on practical business development, financial support and technical support.

Ward 98 councillor Mickey van der Westhuizen said youth unemployment remains a serious concern and that young people need practical opportunities to help them become economically independent.

“Youth unemployment is not just a statistic; it affects real families in Ward 98. I supported this initiative because I genuinely want to help young people turn their talent and ambition into employment and sustainable businesses,” said Van der Westhuizen.

He said young people faced several barriers, including limited experience, skills gaps, transport and data costs, red tape, lack of finance and difficulty accessing markets.

Van der Westhuizen said Ward 98 around Klerksoord and surrounding business areas offers economic opportunities, but stronger links are needed between these prospects and local youth.

According to Van der Westhuizen, SEDFA training can help entrepreneurs with business planning, pricing, financial management, compliance and funding applications, and can support their path to growth.

“Training is an important first step, but it must lead to mentorship, finance and customers. A certificate alone does not create a future; real opportunity does.”

He added that Ward 98 already had young people operating informal, home-based and emerging businesses who could benefit from financial and technical assistance.

Ward 4 candidate councillor and community leader Raymond Ditsi said youth unemployment is also a serious challenge in Ward 4, with young people facing barriers such as limited experience, inadequate skills, transport costs, lack of finance and difficulty accessing markets and industrial opportunities.

Ditsi said qualifying participants could access SEDFA finance, mentorship and technical support, although funding would remain subject to eligibility requirements.

Both representatives stressed that the programme should lead to tangible outcomes, not remain a once-off intervention.

Van der Westhuizen said his office would work to connect young people with SEDFA, training providers, the metro and private-sector opportunities. Ditsi said further entrepreneurship, technical-skills and business-readiness programmes were being pursued.

Success, Van der Westhuizen said, should ultimately be measured by businesses registered, funding applications submitted, increased customers and turnover, employment secured and jobs created.

The initiative aims to move beyond training and create a longer-term pathway towards entrepreneurship, employment and economic independence for young people in the two wards.

Tshepi Molage, a 25-year-old from The Orchards Extensions, said young people from the area have strong business ideas, but lack exposure.

“Attending such training programmes will assist us [youth] to fully unlock our potential and make sure we are connected to the relevant people.

“We do have business ideas, and all we want is to be given the platform and the opportunity to showcase what we can offer.”

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