Local young entrepreneurs experience the challenge of International participation

At 13:00 on Wednesday, 17 November, a 24-hour marathon started at the Klerksdorp City Mall when a challenge was received via live internet transmission from London,  an event that required the people involved to spend 37 hours awake! 

Three Local teams competed against each other to determine the South African winner, whose entry was then submitted to London.  Participants were members of GET Enterprise Trendsetters, an enterprise education programme launched and run by Elsa Phillips. During the year they have been attending Saturday-classes in Business Skills and Product Development to prepare for this third international challenge.

Teams from Australia, England, Germany, Iceland, Japan, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Norway, Russia, Scotland, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, the United States of America and Wales participated in the global event. While a number of teams were privileged to travel to London and work from the Conference Centre, most teams worked in their respective countries. Business Plans were e-mailed and presentations were videotaped and transmitted to the Central Administrator, where a team of international judges evaluated each entry.

The challenge was an imaginary invitation by the Board of Trustees of a new children's museum to bid for a commission to develop an exhibit for the Technology Section. The brief read:  “Produce a working model of an interactive exhibit that will motivate young people aged 8 to 12 towards science and contributes to the museum's mission to become the major visitor attraction for young people in the local area”. The international panel of judges assumed the role of the Board of Trustees.

After many hours of drill, hammer, cut and glue, the teams had completed the Magnetic Jungle maize demonstrating magnetic principles; the Simple Science Cycler demonstrating power generation and the Courage Shuttle, simulating an outer space experience. The Courage Shuttle was selected as the SA-winner and was entered in the Global Challenge.

GET Team SA did not receive an award or commendation, with Scotland being the overall winner and Australia winner of the Innovation Award.  Ms Phillips telephoned to congratulate the team, saying that they did her proud. Feedback from her and from people that could watch the presentations and award ceremony on internet was positive. However, it is clear that the scale and interpretation of the challenge by other participants demonstrates the need to enlarge our learners' frame of reference and practical experience. The information gathered by Ms Phillips during the event and the Conference in the UK will be of great assistance in this regard.

The GET-programme establishes a mindset of enterprise and self-employment, and opens the door for learners to swap knowledge and do international trade with other participating countries.

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The World Cup 2010 Steering Committee

Correction to Klerksdorp Record Front Page Article - 18 November 2004

Sandy Botha - Divisional Head Marketing and Mr. AK Khuswayo Department Head - Economic Affairs and Corporate Communication are active members of the World Cup Steering Committee representing The City Council of Klerksdorp.

Both officials have the mandate of the Executive Mayor to represent Council on The World Cup 2010 Steering Committee.

Sandy Botha in her capacity of Secretariat to The World Cup 2010 Steering Committee would like to pledge her support to the Chairman Councillor Douw. AK Khuswayo, who is also a committed participant on the steering committee.

Council must have official representation on the committee to assist with the many dynamics which will involve and include The City Council in all preparations pertaining to the World Cup 2010. The two official's names have not been publicised because it is a known fact that Council officials are an automatic inclusion in these type of committees. The Council did not realise that these names were front page news material.

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