KUGOMPO CITY- Young entrepreneurs, innovators and key stakeholders from across the Eastern Cape have been challenged to turn their ideas into sustainable businesses and explore alternative pathways into the labour market.
The call came during a three-day Post School Education and Training (PSET) Entrepreneurship and Alternative Pathways into the Labour Market programme hosted by the Eastern Cape Socio Economic Consultative Council (ECSECC) at the East London International Convention Centre (ELICC) in KuGompo City from 25 to 27 August.
The programme brought together PSET institutions, industry players, investors, government representatives and enterprise support organisations in an effort to strengthen links between education, business and the labour market.
The initiative was held in partnership with the British Council, the University of Fort Hare’s Centre for Entrepreneurship and Rapid Incubator and Cortex Hub.
The programme featured keynote addresses, masterclasses, prototype exhibitions, investor roundtables, matchmaking sessions, as well as funding and supplier opportunities aimed at helping emerging businesses move from ideas to viable enterprises.
Entrepreneur and innovator Mandiluve Thwalo shared his own challenges in building a business and urged aspiring entrepreneurs not to wait for perfect conditions before starting.
“My journey has not been very easy. My advice to young entrepreneurs is to start where you are with what you have and use the resources around you.
This thing is doable,” he said.For entrepreneurs attending the programme, the event provided an opportunity to build networks, exchange ideas and engage potential partners and clients.
Executive manager at Entrepreneurs Unlimited Incubator in Makhanda Lulu Jakavula, said the programme was valuable because it exposed entrepreneurs to others who were building and growing their businesses.
“This event was very exciting. It was encouraging to meet entrepreneurs, see what they have achieved and how they are growing their businesses,” she said.
Jakavula also welcomed the participation of TVET graduates who are increasingly considering entrepreneurship as an alternative to traditional employment.
She said seeing young people exploring business ownership demonstrated the importance of creating pathways that allow graduates to use their skills beyond conventional job-seeking.
In addition University of Fort Hare alumnus and founder of Crop Market, Brian Thandikhaya Mbana, attended the programme with the hope of strengthening his start-up, which is currently at the pilot stage.
Mbana said the networking opportunities and advice he received had given him renewed confidence in developing the business.
“I came here expecting to network and fill the gaps in my start-up. From here, I gained a lot of advice, networks and potential clients,” he said.
His entrepreneurial journey has not been without setbacks. Mbana said his idea was initially met with ridicule but the experience of meeting other innovators helped him remain focused.
“I was laughed at and called names, but meeting people with creative minds like mine motivated me to keep pushing,” he said.
The programme comes at a time when young people across the Eastern Cape continue to face pressure to find meaningful economic opportunities, while entrepreneurs often struggle to access funding, markets, mentorship and business networks.
By bringing education institutions, government, business and investors into the same space, the initiative sought to bridge some of those gaps and create stronger support systems for emerging entrepreneurs.
The programme also highlighted the role of innovation and entrepreneurship in creating jobs, improving livelihoods and contributing to economic development in the province.For the young innovators who attended, the message was clear: ideas need support, but they also need persistence.
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