By OBAKENG MAJE
15 October 2026 – The North West MEC for Social Development, Sussana Dantjie has urged young people to draw inspiration from their peers who have turned challenges into opportunities through entrepreneurship. Dantjie said entrepreneurship could serve as a pathway to economic independence, encouraging young people to move away from relying solely on government for employment and instead explore opportunities to establish their own businesses.
She was addressing community members who gathered to access government services during the Re thuse re go thuse programme at Kraaipan village in the Ratlou Local Municipality on Wednesday.
“Government has many programmes that, if you take advantage of them, could open doors to greater opportunities in life.
“There are many potential employers among you, but unfortunately, you see yourselves only as employees,” said Dantjie.
To illustrate the importance of entrepreneurship, Dantjie further shared the story of a young woman from Ventersdorp who started a laundry business with just one load of washing. She added that through determination and hard work, the young woman managed to grow her business, employ another young person and begin exploring opportunities to expand into dry-cleaning services.
“The woman’s journey from humble beginnings to business ownership should inspire young people to identify and pursue opportunities within their own communities.
“So, I would like to young people in Kraaipan to use the available space in their residential yards to establish backyard vegetable gardens, which could eventually develop into sustainable businesses,” said Dantjie.
She said they should start small with a backyard garden and then approach the relevant government departments for assistance. Dantjie also they need young people to establish cooperatives that can supply goods and services.
“Government departments should also explore opportunities to support these cooperatives through procurement.
“Young people should work together to establish cooperatives that could create employment, stimulate local economic activity and contribute to the development of their communities,” she said.
Meanwhile, Dantjie handed over school uniforms to 62 learners from disadvantaged backgrounds, comprising 18 boys and 44 girls. She said the uniforms were procured from a cooperative and distributed to learners identified as needing assistance.
“The intervention was intended to ensure that financial hardship did not prevent learners from attending school with dignity or concentrating on their education.
“It is important that children do not feel uncared for because they lack proper school uniforms. Instead, they must be able to focus on their lessons without worrying about their circumstances,” said Dantjie.
She said with this uniform handover, they hope to restore and preserve the dignity of learners and their parents. Dantjie said initiatives such as entrepreneurship support and assistance to vulnerable learners formed part of her department’s efforts to promote community empowerment, encourage self-reliance and support families facing socio-economic challenges.
