29-06-2025
KwaZulu-Natal Premier urges youth to embrace tech entrepreneurship
The Premier of KwaZulu-Natal, Thami Ntuli, has expressed concerns that the province's youth are not venturing into entrepreneurship in the tech sector. He spoke on the issue recently while announcing a partnership with one of the telecommunications companies in the country.
Ntuli unveiled a landmark partnership with telecommunications giant MTN, aimed at expanding internet connectivity in rural areas and equipping young people with critical digital skills last week. Ntuli expressed disappointment at the low uptake of the KZN Youth Fund by tech-based enterprises. Despite the province's youthful population, where nearly half of residents are under 20, he said few young entrepreneurs are venturing into digital businesses.
He implied that issues of connectivity could be one of the problems in attracting the youth to the sector. 'Our observation has been that, like their global counterparts, many of our youth seek to start internet-based businesses and help build ICT-based companies akin to those in Silicon Valley. However, we have found that internet and cell phone network connectivity, especially in rural areas, remains a major barrier,' Ntuli said.
