Enterprise development
In 2016, 27% of the adult population in South Africa was unemployed. According to The National Development Plan, 90% of the approximately 11 million jobs that need to be created by 2020 will be through small businesses. However, according to The Gordon Institute of Business Science, 80-90% of new businesses fail in the first two years, with some of the reasons for failure being lack of access to markets, capital and business skills. A panel discussion held at Trialogue’s 2017 Business in Society Conference unpacked some of the key elements needed to support enterprise development in South Africa. Read more from the plenary session.
Breakout sessionsSocial enterprise
|
Youth and entrepreneurship
|
Enterprise development case studies
|
Social enterprise, still a fairly new concept in South Africa, is steadily gaining international momentum. A panel discussion at Trialogue’s 2017 Business in Society Conference explored the potential and challenges, as well as the type of support and partnerships needed for social enterprises. 
South Africa currently has one of the lowest levels of entrepreneurship in the world, and the lowest level of all African countries. In 2011, Kgalema Motlanthe convened an enabling entrepreneurship task team, chaired by Taddy Blecher. Motlanthe’s motivation was to reduce youth unemployment (the third highest in the world) by making South Africa more entrepreneurial. 
At The Trialogue Business in Society Conference 2017, in a breakout session that examined entrepreneurial case studies, two entrepreneurs who benefitted from enterprise development programming and mentorship, together with their expert mentors, shared the experiences, challenges and successes encountered in their entrepreneurial journeys.
These sessions were presented in partnership with
