Capricorn District Muni hosts Schools Entrepreneurship Competition

Learners of five schools in the Capricorn district participated in a Schools Entrepreneurship Competition hosted by Capricorn District Municipality (CDM) in the city last Thursday.
Participants from Mahlabela Secondary School from Aganang, Boetse Secondary School from Polokwane, Mamoduane Secondary School from Blouberg, Fedile Secondary School from Molemole and Mankhole Secondary School from Lepelle-Nkumpi had to impress the judges with their business plans. The winner was Mashoto Moloto of Mahlabela Secondary School, with Neville Lepuru of Mamoduane Secondary School and Mmako Mahlako of Mankhole Secondary School respectively in the second and third places. The winners each received a trophy, medal, laptop and bag and a Microsoft Office package.
The event was attended by representatives of the departments of Education and Economic Development, Environment and Tourism (Ledet), Limpopo Economic Development Agency (Leda), school principals and educators and members of School Governing Bodies (SGBs).
Puleng Mashangoane, acting Executive Mayor, delivered the keynote address and said that the Schools Entrepreneurship Competition strengthens the new approach to the local economic transformation agenda. “As Capricorn District Municipality, year after year, we create a platform to impart knowledge about entrepreneurship to learners and instil in them the spirit and enthusiasm to become future business leaders. We want them to leave school with a spirit of entrepreneurship so they can venture into various sectors to create jobs and grow the economy,” Mashangoane said and added that the competition takes place at a time when the whole country is reviewing economic development initiatives in order to survive the current tough global economic times. “It is our approach to find solutions to poverty and align our plans and programmes with provincial and national priorities to grow the economy”.

According to Mashangoane, schools and communities with an inherent culture of entrepreneurship have a greater chance of being self-sustaining and it is for this reason that CDM is targeting schools that offer entrepreneurship or business studies as a subject.
“So this competition should be taken as a journey to finding yourself and applying your mind and identifying a gap on the market and venturing into a sector that will improve not only your life but of people around you, your community and our province,” Mashangoane told the learners.

Featured Photo: Barry Viljoen – Fedile Secondary School learners Maboko Machete, Wilson Morokolo, Margaret Mosiamo, Lerato Ramaremela and Kamogelo Rasebechela.

BARRY VILJOEN
>>barryv.observer@gmail.com