EThekwini Municipality has recognised the integral role of innovation in addressing socio - economic challenges facing the City and the country at large.

As part of efforts to drive innovation, especially among young people, the Municipality in partnership with the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Technology Innovation Agency, University of KwaZulu-Natal and the Durban University of Technology, IBM and ILO will be launching the Youth Innovation Week, where unemployed youth will be expected to come up with innovative ways to address socio-economic problems.

The initiative is part of the City's Innovation Strategy, which was developed after recent studies by the Municipality indicated that a lack of innovation and creativity were the main causes for the failure of many business ventures.

Mayor James Nxumalo says the City is currently faced with high rate of unemployment, poverty and inequality.

"This exercise will provide a platform to unemployed youth, budding entrepreneurs as well as creative thinkers to explore problems, and come up with innovative solutions to challenges facing the City, thus creating employment opportunities," he said.

As part of Innovation Week activities the youth will visit various areas in eThekwini and will be allocated to various clusters/community meetings to identify challenges hindering service delivery in communities. With this, the youth will come up with business solutions focusing more positively on income generating activities that will in turn boost the economy of the City.

These innovative solutions will be showcased at the Innovation Summit in May where the winning group will be awarded for their innovation.

Members of the media are invited to attend the launch of the Youth Innovation week scheduled as follow:

DATE : 04 March 2015

VENUE : Elangeni Maharani

TIME : 08h00


Ends

Issued by the Head of Communications, Tozi Mthethwa.

For more information contact Municipal Spokesperson Thabo Mofokeng on 031 311 4820 / 082 731 7456 or email Thabo1.Mofokeng@durban.gov.za or Gugu Mbonambi on 031 311 4855 or email gugu.mbonambi@durban.gov.za

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