By GREG NICOLSON –
Most of Gauteng’s population live in townships where Apartheid purposefully stifled economic development. Now, Premier David Makhura says it’s time government changed the system and unleashed the entrepreneurial potential.
Jeffrey Malaudzi, 22, started Alexandra Bicycle Tours in 2010 to show tourists his township’s lifestyle, culture and history. The young entrepreneur has a number of small businesses, but the cycling tour of one of Johannesburg’s most historic townships is his most successful. He now has 27 bikes and plans to expand.
It hasn’t been easy. Malaudzi says it is difficult to get a loan when you come from the township, don’t own any property and have little start-up capital. Entrepreneurs struggle with the day-to-day basics to begin: airtime to call customers, internet access, the reams of red tape. “I think lots of people in the townships would like to own their own businesses but the problem is resources,” said Malaudzi on Tuesday. They need support like incubation hubs, where small businesses owners can access office space, computers, internet and phones, he added.
Read full article here
