Students to submit plan for entrepreneurs day at Potch campus to SCC

Recognising the importance of promoting student-owned businesses, Atang Swartbooi (20), founder of the mental health platform YoubeforeMe! and a second-year LLB student at the North-West University (NWU) Potchefstroom campus, is advocating for an entrepreneurs day in Lover’s Lane and Wasgoedpennetjie Lane.

He feels that despite the alarming unemployment rates, little is being done to curb youth unemployment in South Africa.

Cabrin Redlinghys (21), an LLB student at Potchefstroom campus, said, “I feel like we need to take every opportunity to empower students as far as we can”.

The Daily Maverick recently wrote that South African youth are deprived of job opportunities and do not have a fair chance at securing employment.  

Prof Philani Moyo, director of the Fort Hare Institute for Social and Economic Research, argues in the Daily Maverick article that higher education and training is a driver of youth unemployment, by focusing on theoretical principles instead of practical experience. He argues this leaves the youth unemployable.

Swartbooi said: “Schools have entrepreneurship days. And these were fake entrepreneurships. We have real entrepreneurs. Those people exist. They decided to do something and that should be supported. This would be a great opportunity for them to actually grow.”

Atang and his committee aim to have stalls set up in Lover’s Lane and Wasgoedpennetjie Lane. MAP: Elsje-Marie Jordaan

Swartbooi and his committee, consisting of Redlinghys and Tshiamo Selebalo (21), BA psychology, geography and environmental management student at the Potchefstroom campus, are currently running a poll to determine the interest in such an event, before formally presenting the initiative to the Student Campus Council (SCC). They aim to gather 100 signatures.

Most of the signatures thus far have been by entrepreneurs who would love the opportunity, said Swartbooi.

“I think if we compile a well-crafted document on the mandate and the vision, they [the NWU] would be able to implement it,” Swartbooi said, adding that they plan to work with the SCC in order to implement the initiative and hopefully make it an annual event where students can promote their businesses.

Rasaad Adams (23), SCC chairperson of marketing and public relations, said: “The SCC on the Potchefstroom campus takes note of the social media postings calling for a business day initiative. The idea will be tabled for a motion during our first formal SCC meeting in the second semester.”

Swartbooi’s strategy of going to social media first with the concept rather than engaging with the SCC has been questioned. The committee now aims to follow all the right procedures, submitting the plan to relevant SCC members and Dr Corrie Rheeder, Director of Student Life.

Swartbooi argued that going to social media helps to “wake the relevant party up”, showing them the relevance of the issue.

Adams said that the SCC is always open to suggestions and ideas from students, however, there are certain processes that will have to be followed, before implementing and rolling out the suggested idea. Only after proper consultation among the SCC and relevant stakeholders can formal feedback be provided to those who put forth the idea. 

The idea of having stalls in Lover’s Lane and Wasgoedpennetjielaan is nothing new, as campus societies regularly showcase their stalls in these prime traffic areas, Swartbooi said.

“I think one thing young people are struggling with is exposure and I think for the NWU this could work well,” Swartbooi said.

The problem, for now, is getting people to believe in the project, Swartbooi said.