The City’s community development department and Amalgamated Beverage Industries (ABI), a subsidiary of South Africa Breweries, handed over a mobile cooler in the shape of a can with 20 cases of soft drinks that the learners will have to sell to generate capital to start up their plan.

According to Siboniso Ndlovu, the assistant director of policy development in the department of economic development, the intention of the competition is to check if there are committed individuals who can make a difference in the community.

“The City is grateful to give those who are passionate about starting their own business the opportunity to fulfil their goals and dreams,” said Ndlovu.

Speaking on behalf of ABI, William Mahlasela, the corporate affairs specialist, said it makes them happy to realise that they are investing in young people. “We are here to give back to the community,” he said.

Nhlanhla Nhlapo, a 17-year-old member of Motivational Printers, said the group is excited and happy. “We are very proud of ourselves. Thank you ABI and City of Joburg for seeing the potential in us,” she said.

The drinks will be sold inside school premises in Soweto, said Nhlapo.

Nhlapo said that on 4 July the group had a great experience when they visited ABI in Midrand to learn how drinks are made. They also had a chance to get to grips about how a big business is run.

Mabatho Mongane, the accounting and economics teacher at Orlando West High School, encouraged the rest of the school to support their colleagues to get the business going.

Mongane said the learners will practise what they learnt and those who cannot afford to go on to tertiary education can start their own small business.

The competition was piloted in Alexandra in 2009 and was organised by the City’s department of economic development to help develop a culture of entrepreneurship among learners.

At the beginning of the year, the department invited 60 schools within the Joburg Student Council to take part, and 33 schools entered the competition. Fourteen made it to the finals.

According to the department, in 2009 the City approved a policy and strategic framework for entrepreneurial skills development specifically targeting youth with the purpose of increasing the scope and pool of players in business, with the objective of propelling economic growth.