JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Twenty-one early-stage growth entrepreneurs graduated from the second phase of global miner Anglo American’s Entrepreneur Internship Programme (EIP) on Thursday morning.

The programme was hosted in partnership with entrepreneur development company Aurik Enterprise Development, which provides support and skills for entrepreneurs who want to growth their businesses.

The EIP allowed entrepreneurs to receive business development support, training and mentorship, giving them a launchpad for growth and enabling them to create employment.

Anglo American executive director Andile Sangqu told the graduates at a ceremony on Thursday that more could be achieved when partnerships such as that between Anglo American and Aurik were formed to assist in triggering small business development.

“Small businesses are an essential contributor to a healthy economy. Therefore, EIP was developed to meet the exact needs of entrepreneurs in terms of training, mentorship and support,” he indicated.

Moreover, Sangqu mentioned that such partnerships guaranteed small businesses would make a difference in the economic growth of the country.

Emphasising the importance of public–private partnerships to support small businesses, he pointed out that, with the National Development Plan (NDP) aimed at driving economic growth, it was important that it worked for the people as well. By partnering with companies such as Aurik, government would be able to drive towards a stronger economy, while improving training and skills development.

Meanwhile, Zungu Investment Company executive chairperson Sandile Zungu stressed that small businesses were the economic “salvation of the country”.

He emphasised the importance of entrepreneurs having to continuously strive for innovation and invest in people in order for them to be successful.

“Many entrepreneurs have a tendency to focus more on infrastructure projects and neglect people-centred opportunities, which is a sector that will drive economic freedom radically and the human capital aspect of any development and growth is of importance,” Zungu said.

He further stated that it remained pivotal for entrepreneurs to remain single-minded and focused as they worked to grow their businesses.

Zungu suggested that more women entrepreneurs should benefit from EIP, which would also prove beneficial to the holistic growth of the country, as well as forming part of the greater vision of the NDP.