Muni’s Global Entrepreneurship Week ends with conference

Polokwane Municipality’s celebrations of Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) culminated in a GEW conference that was hosted at the new Peter Mokaba Stadium on Monday.
The event was presented in collaboration with the Limpopo Department of Economic Development, Environment and Tourism (Ledet) and the national Department of Small Business Development and was attended by small business leaders and entrepreneurs from the province.
The theme of the conference was ‘Celebrating Entrepreneurship in the 4th Industrial Revolution’ and the MEC for Ledet, Thabo Mokone delivered the keynote address after he was introduced by Polokwane Executive Mayor Thembi Nkadimeng.
Mokone said that one of the main objectives of Ledet is to improve provincial income generating opportunities. “This can effectively be achieved by investing in small or emerging businesses, especially those benefiting the majority and if we are to achieve sustainability with regard to progressive entrepreneurs who will in future contribute to our provincial mainstream economy, we need the private sector to lend a helping hand,” Mokone reckoned.
“We cannot talk about entrepreneurship and emerging businesses without prioritising adoption of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. No company will thrive if it neglects to adapt to societal changes,” Mokone said and explained that the Fourth Industrial Revolution is real. “We have seen banks cut jobs due to various services being entrusted to be carried out by machines. We have seen job losses in the mining sector as well as many other industries around the world,” Mokone added.
Ledet is against job losses, however, it is important that people and organisations should simultaneously adapt and upgrade their skills to be in line with the modern day requirements, according to Mokone.
“Financial management is very key in running a successful business. There are amongst us some entrepreneurs who don’t understand what is meant by the word cash-flow. They therefore take for granted every cent accumulated within the business and misuse it on personal entertainment,” Mokone said and appealed to black entrepreneurs to make use of the opportunities availed to them. “With the government behind you, you need to start taking yourselves seriously and have an achievable vision for your business. Government will fast-track its efforts in growing sustainable black industries and ensure that local communities benefit from such support,” the MEC concluded.

Story: BARRY VILJOEN
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