The Minister of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Ms Sindisiwe Chikunga, has commended the Durban University of Technology’s (DUT) entrepreneurship-centred approach and called on higher education institutions to work closely with government in shaping policies and regulations that remove barriers to funding for businesses led by women, youth and persons with disabilities.
Minister Chikunga made these remarks during the EmpowerHer Market Trade Fair, held at the Olive Convention Centre in Durban on Saturday, 1 August 2026. She was speaking to members of the media, including the innobiz DUT Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation’s Marketing Team.
The event, which also marked the launch of the 2026 Women’s Month Campaign, was hosted by the Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities in the Presidency in partnership with Absa. It also commemorated the historic Women’s March to the Union Buildings on 9 August 1956.
Female student entrepreneurs from the innobiz DUT Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation joined hundreds of women entrepreneurs from across the country to showcase their businesses to potential investors, customers and strategic partners.
Ahead of the event, the Department stated that the Trade Fair was designed to advance women’s economic empowerment by creating opportunities for women-owned businesses to showcase their products and services, access new markets, establish partnerships and connect with investors.
The platform enabled DUT’s cohort of female student entrepreneurs to network with entrepreneurs, government departments, financial institutions, civil society organisations, investors and members of the public.
The Department also highlighted that the 2026 Women’s Month Campaign recognises the significant contribution women make to South Africa’s economy while drawing attention to persistent challenges, including limited access to finance, procurement opportunities, markets, technology, information and business development support.
“These challenges are further compounded by poverty, unemployment, unequal pay, discrimination and gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF),” the Department stated.
Minister Chikunga praised DUT and other higher education institutions for exposing student entrepreneurs to opportunities such as the EmpowerHer Trade Fair.
“What pleased me this time around is actually seeing tertiary institutions bringing young people who are studying entrepreneurship because in our time it did not exist, so we are very happy about this.
“Tertiary institutions must also help us with research to gauge what is required by the economy tomorrow so that we channel our women, our young people, towards that so that their businesses can thrive,” she said.
She emphasised that higher education institutions should work closely with government by providing future-focused research to inform policy, resource allocation and entrepreneurial development.
“We are very happy that we have students from the Durban University of Technology being here and saying this is what we are studying and we are already doing it. It is different from having theory without experience.
“The ones that are here are saying we have theory on how to run a business, but we are also doing it, so when we graduate we will already have practical experience to run successful businesses,” she said.
Minister Chikunga also encouraged young entrepreneurs to make use of government support agencies such as the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA), noting that its budget had increased to R1.8 billion to expand grant funding and business support for young entrepreneurs.
She further urged women and youth entrepreneurs to access opportunities offered through the Small Enterprise Development and Finance Agency under the Department of Small Business Development.
“The budget for women, youth and persons with disabilities to start and run businesses has been increased. What is of critical importance is to ensure that our women have access to these funds,” she said.
The Minister also stressed the importance of reviewing funding requirements to ensure they do not become barriers for women-owned businesses. She encouraged universities to contribute to the ongoing public consultation process on the regulations supporting the Public Procurement Act.
“Our tertiary institutions must help to look into these regulations by participating and using students who are already studying entrepreneurship to identify barriers and recommend improvements that will make it easier for women, youth and persons with disabilities to access these opportunities,” she added.
The EmpowerHer initiative aligns with DUT’s strategic objective of developing adaptable graduates who transform society through creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship.
It also reflects the vision of DUT Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Prof Thandwa Mthembu, who stated during the 2025 ADAPT@DUT Orientation that the University is committed to becoming a fully entrepreneurial institution.
“We are no longer training job seekers, but inventors and innovators who will create jobs for the thousands of young people who have not had the opportunity to enrol at university,” Prof Mthembu said.
Speaking at the opening of the seventh Alliance of Guangzhou International Sister-City Universities (GISU) Urban Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition 2025, hosted by DUT, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Innovation and Engagement, Prof Fulufhelo Nemavhola, also encouraged student entrepreneurs to take advantage of national and international entrepreneurship platforms.
“I would like to urge our student entrepreneurs to make use of such platforms of engagement, identify people within their sector and business space, and build networks that will advance their entrepreneurial ventures,” he said.
Ms Nontokozo Ngcobo, Centre Manager of the innobiz DUT Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, said the EmpowerHer Trade Fair provided an invaluable opportunity for DUT’s student entrepreneurs to engage with influential stakeholders, including Minister Chikunga.
“They were not only exposed as student entrepreneurs but also had the opportunity to interact with experienced business owners from across the country and learn from their experiences,” she said.
She added that the event also connected students to broader national and international entrepreneurial networks, creating opportunities for future collaboration and market access.
“This was a critical platform in ensuring that our students become trade-ready by connecting them with strategic stakeholders and supporting the development of adaptable and sustainable businesses, in line with the DUT Philosophy of Education,” she said.
Among the DUT entrepreneurs exhibiting at the Trade Fair were Miss Grissenda Thembeka Madondo, founder of perfume brand Grissenda Euphorias, and Miss Thembelihle Mathaba, founder and Chief Executive Officer of Thobelihle Bee Farming in Empangeni.
The two entrepreneurs described the experience as invaluable, saying it enabled them to network with experienced women in business, gain practical insights into business growth, marketing and product packaging, and showcase their products to a national audience.
They said one of the highlights of the event was the opportunity to engage directly with Minister Chikunga when she visited their exhibition stands to learn more about their businesses.
Pictured: Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga in conversation with innobiz DUT Centre Manager Ms Nontokozo Ngcobo during her stop at the innobizDUT exhibition stalls at the EmpowerHer Trade Fair.
Samkelo Mtshali
