By: Cat Pritchard
“Apartheid will be dealt a crippling blow when the poverty-stricken black townships, living evidence of past policies, become vibrant economic hubs”, says Amos Masando, Johannesburg Executive Mayor. How this will be achieved will be a matter for debate at the first international conference on entrepreneurship and small business to be held in Soweto.
It’s true that Soweto has seen more investment from Johannesburg government recently, but very little of this has involved local businesses within the township. Which is why, when the aptly named “Transforming Townships into Economic Powerhouses” moves into Soweto in January, finding ways to unlock the immense potential of the townships will be a key focus.
As a joint venture between the University of Johannesburg’s (UJ) Centre for Small Business Development (CSBD) and the Wits Business School’s Centre for Entrepreneurship (CEE), the conference aims to stimulate innovation and knowledge creation in township entrepreneurship.
Presenters from abroad and local universities will present papers alongside township business leaders and local policy makers. The discussions will be a mix of what is currently happening; what has worked elsewhere; and what could work in the future.
Importantly, the conference will determine strategies to reduce the massive leak of spending power from black townships. Soweto spends about R12bn a year and only 24% circulates in the township. Conference deliberations are expected to reveal strategies to increase this percentage and reverse the leakage.
Presentations will revolve around a number of international and local research papers with international topics including, among others, “Social entrepreneurship as a social force for welfare and prosperity in social settings” and “Very small businesses and local economic development”; while local subjects will include topics like “The potential in the informal sector” and “Barriers perceived and experienced by small, micro and medium enterprises in Mamelodi”. Other papers will address women and youth entrepreneurship.
A key highlight of the conference will be the unveiling of the Gauteng Department of Economic Development’s strategy for small business and economic development.
The conference will take place at the UJ Soweto Campus on 27th and 28th January 2010.