Anis Mahomed Karodia (MPH, MBA, PhD)1, Dhiru Soni (DPhil)2 , Ahmed Shaikh (MBA)3
The paper looks at entrepreneurship in terms of its importance to South Africa. In this regard it discusses
the importance of initiatives like the Regent Business Schools proposed new Entrepreneurial Centre which will be
opened in the latter part of 2016. A brief historical perspective is undertaken in this regard, in order to firstly situate
the thrust, importance and necessity of the entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial dynamic, as it relates to a
democratic South Africa. This is undertaken within the context of development and leadership in South Africa. The
importance of entrepreneurship cannot be under estimated, in terms of development and economic growth in South
Africa for purposes of stimulating much needed small business development and, the empowerment of the masses of
people neglected by the administrative government systems by both, the apartheid and democratic government, post
1994. In undertaking the discussion in this paper, the issues towards transforming South Africa‟s past and
transforming the present assumes significance, in terms of the transformation agenda of the state. In addition the
paper very briefly discusses development theories, and calls for a reformulation of these theories in order, to
engineer sustained and coordinated development within developing countries. The paper outlines the strategic plan
for the Regent Business Schools Centre for Entrepreneurship and its modalities for engagement for purposes of
consolidating this important and necessary initiative. By the same token, the paper discusses very briefly the
problems that higher education confronts in respect to access into higher education in South Africa and, therefore,
posits that entrepreneurial training and development can assist in solving some problems that the country confronts,
in terms of access to higher education and entrepreneurial development.
