Mazwai encourages youth to focus on entrepreneurship

The state of township entrepreneurship today is worrying as there are not innovative ideas but rather duplication of what already exists.

This is according to former editor and journalist Dr Thami Mazwai, who has edited and released a new book tracing the history of entrepreneurs in Soweto who operated under the apartheid regime. 

Mazwai launched his book The Journey of the Soweto Entrepreneur since 1905 at Vilakazi Street in Orlando West on Tuesday. The launch was attended by the likes of Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi, businessman Tokyo Sexwale and musician Sipho “Hotsticks” Mabuse.

Mazwai said the book was aimed at encouraging young people to focus on entrepreneurship and revealing their identity. He said he will embark on a journey to host workshops in Gauteng to teach young people how to be successful entrepreneurs. 

“One of the problems in our economy is that there is a lot of copycat entrepreneurship. We have to teach our young people to search for opportunities rather than copy what the next person is doing.

“The strong and persuasive message that comes out of this book is that we must take ownership and be proud of previous achievements by our compatriots of earlier years,” he said.

“We also, as blacks, need entities that reflect post-1994 economic giantism. This will not only endear us to future generations but other nations will now start to respect us as it reduces those 'please help us' relationships.” 

The first chapters of the book trace the history of entrepreneurship pioneers in Soweto.

“The chapters detail the hostility and antagonism our pioneers faced, which was not only in policy but physically from the then white business and white community. The remaining chapters are a sector-by-sector analysis and the respective players and pioneers in them,” Mazwai said.

He added that the book is not aimed at attacking or destroying white establishments but to eradicate poverty, unemployment and inequality. 

“I am not against white business being in the township; I am advocating for interventions that will enable township entrepreneurs to survive and stand their own against competition.”

Lesufi, who delivering a keynote address at the launch, said the department of education in Gauteng will stock the book while emphasising the need to change the current school syllabus. 

“It pains me every now and then that when we take decisions about the books that our children must read, we are compelled and forced to say that Animal Farm is still relevant.

"After so many years, there’s been no book written by our own people and given to our children. It is the indulgent that has to be defeated.

"I want to assure you, Dr Mazwai, I want to declare that, as part of the Gauteng department [of education], all our schools that have a library will have this particular book stocked by the department and taken to them. This is a firm commitment that we will support the trajectory that we need in SA," Lesufi said. 

Lesufi also emphasised the need to return the Johannesburg CBD to its former glory. 

"We need fresh ideas ... we need new entrepreneurs, and for us to ensure that it becomes the area we could all be proud of, we need new forms of finance and funding that will allow us to be proud of Joburg, which indeed is the City of Gold,” he added.