Technological entrepreneurship in South Africa: the case study of Eskom and Sasol

The quest for broad-based economic empowerment in South Africa has influenced the development of strategic business linkages between large technology intensive companies and small technology start-up enterprises. One of the goal of broad-based economic empowerment is to engage persons and communities previously disadvantaged in the apartheid era development framework and incorporate them into the mainstream South African national economy. Technological entrepreneurship has been identified as one of the pathways towards this new economic dispensation in South Africa. This paper discusses a case study of two major technology intensive companies, i.e. Eskom and Sasol and their business linkages with small enterprises. A review of the business linkages is provided together with some reviews to facilitate effective economic empowerment and sustainable development. The paper concludes that there is need for serious mind shift in the perceptions of small businesses potential roles in technological entrepreneurship in relation to still several unexplored areas of potential gain for small businesses.