Karabo Motaung, principal analyst at the commission, says the exhibition has been motivated by the workshop they once held in 2019 with youth in business.

Like the workshop, the exhibition will be beneficial to youth in business as information on how to run a business smoothly will be shared.

 “The workshop held previously sought to understand and overcome the barriers affecting the entry, participation and sustainability of youth in business,” she adds.

One of the barriers that previously brought up by young entrepreneurs was the lack of access to information. “This is information relating to how to access the market, information around how to register for their own business,” she explains.

What also came to light during the workshop was a lack of awareness about some of the funding opportunities that are available for the youth. The idea behind the exhibition is to have different stakeholders that can share information and provide services on how the youth in business can overcome barriers.

Alongside the Competition Commission SA will be the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition, the Department of Small Business Development, the Small Enterprise Development Agency, the Small Enterprise Finance Agency, the Industrial Development Corporation, the National Youth Development Agency, the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission, South African Youth Chamber of Commerce, Johannesburg Chamber of Commerce Industry, Gauteng Enterprise Propeller, South African Bureau of Standards, and Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Commission.

The exhibition is set to take place at the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition campus in Pretoria.

OFM News/Tshehla Koteli