Politicians and economists alike said that something has to be done to create more jobs and the answer is to build and develop entrepreneurs. This has been the rhetoric for many years, but with very little success.
Job Summits were hosted, and many strategies proposed over the years to find solutions for the unemployment problem. However, it seems as if they are missing some fundamentals to change the situation. At such a summit in Johannesburg on Thursday, 21 September 2017 the issue was again highlighted. After all these years there seems to be a gridlock when creating new or even maintaining work opportunities. Various reasons, such as economic conditions and lack of skills were tabled, but after several discussions, it became evident that vested interest was the main culprit.
Large city-based corporates seem to be visionless in the areas where they operate or where they offer their services to other big corporates. Only a select few have access to the inner circle, and the further business moves from the communities, the silos in which they operate becomes entrenched. Many times corporate companies wave the funds they have available for development in front of people, but if you drill down on how the funds are spent, you will find that either limited beneficiaries or worse, no money was disbursed locally, but spent in Gauteng and held up as a great success. Leaving the locals high and dry.
Together with corporate members, the Middelburg Chamber of Commerce has shown that it is possible to create an enabling environment that creates jobs and entrepreneurs. Unstoppable momentum can be produced when corporate members, experts, and people willing to put their hand up for the opportunities. Contact Valerie Pienaar at MCCI’s Business Linkage Centre to access the opportunities or find the solution for your organisation’s job creation plan.