The Standard Bank Chief Executive Mvuselelo Fakudze said small and medium enterprises present opportunities for economic growth and employability.
Fakudze told entrepreneurs at the Grow Beyond Borders seminar to teach others in their communities about the opportunities for growth that they possess.
“I just encourage you to go and teach your neighbor, teach your cousins who have a lot of youth unemployment in the kingdom. Unfortunately, our education system is designed to teach us to wear ties and go to an office,” Fakudze said.
Fakudze said with his experience of banking, perhaps if he was exposed to an education system that encourages entrepreneurship, he would be a different person.
“I am 53 years old this year. I’m still working and working hard and I’m not ready to retire. If I’d done what I do as an entrepreneur, I’d be a very different person. So the opportunity lies in entrepreneurship, which is why we love entrepreneurs,” he said.
Fakudze said he encourages SMEs to partner with the bank ‘not because it is the only bank but it’s because of what we believe for this continent and it’s because of what we do every day.’
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