ABUSE of government tenders has collapsed the true spirit of entrepreneurship and if no urgent intervention is made, the country is developing a nation of useless tenderpreneurs rather than inspiring entrepreneurs.
Speaking at the LEAD seminar at the Umfolozi Casino Resort last week, Chairperson of Green Senate South Africa Lungani Mthembu said his main concern about the flourishing of tenderprenuers in the country was that they added no value to inspiring young people.
‘We grew up learning that illiteracy prevents people from being economically active, and that there was no substitute for education. This is what inspired us as young people to get educated for prosperity, because we were told there are no shortcuts in life.
‘Sadly, looking at how tenderpreneurs have mushroomed in the country, very little will inspire the youth to focus on studying and starting their own sustainable business. ‘The reality is that most of these tenderpreneurs are young people themselves, who enjoy showing off their expensive cars and houses,’ Mthembu said.
‘The mentality this creates among young people is that one doesn’t have to spend many years of studying to become a millionaire. This tendering system makes life look easy on the outside.
‘There are no guarantees that if you get a tender today worth millions, you will get another one tomorrow. Many of the jobs created through tendering systems are not sustainable. ‘As a country we cannot rely on something like that.
‘It is for this reason that I appeal to this generation of emerging entrepreneurs to start sustainable businesses that will alleviate poverty in the long run.’
Mthembu is in agribusiness and farming is his passion. Through his company Uwanca Green Project, he supplies fresh produce to the uThungulu Fresh Produce Market.
Speaking at the same event, Nondumiso Majola, of Ndupri Exhibitions and Events Planning and founder of Leadership Exploration and Development (LEAD), said she hoped the seminar was beneficial to all emerging and aspiring entrepreneurs.
‘Through this seminar we intend networking and creating a society that is aware of it each other and support one another. We also want to discuss issues on how best to keep our business alive as African entrepreneurs.
‘Our vision is to move South Africa forward,’.
The sixth LEAD seminar, held under the theme ‘Unleash the Leader in You,’ was also addressed by Nqobile Xulu of GX Marketing and Mandisa Khanyile of Mindi Kay.
