“This is a great opportunity for South Africa and Africa as a continent to showcase its entrepreneurial prowess to the world,” Minister of Small Business Development Lindiwe Zulu said.

The bid was awarded to Johannesburg as part of the opening ceremony at GEC 2015 in Milan, Italy.

The GEC is an inter-disciplinary gathering of start-up champions from more than 150 countries and attracts over 4 000 delegates.

These delegates represent distinct components of their entrepreneurial ecosystems and are focused on how best to help entrepreneurs start and scale new companies, the Department of Small Business Development said.

“The GEC is a platform that would open doors for our youth, ignite entrepreneurship and put our youth in the global arena,” Minister Zulu said.

Available: http://www.sanews.gov.za/south-africa/sa-host-global-entrepreneurship-congress