Professor Robertson Tengeh delivering his inaugural lecture. Image: Shelley Christians/UWC

His journey from street trading to becoming a full professor at UWC and a high-ranking National Research Foundation (NRF)-rated researcher has been closely tied to his interest in understanding the realities entrepreneurs face.

Professor Robertson Tengeh of the University of the Western Cape’s (UWC) Department of Management and Entrepreneurship delivered his inaugural lecture on 15 September 2026, calling for a rethink of how support systems, educational programmes and public policies can better support small-business and entrepreneurial success in South Africa and the wider African continent.

He has frequently drawn attention to research documenting the high rate of small-business failure in South Africa, arguing that greater attention should be given to the realities entrepreneurs operate within and to their specific needs when designing support interventions.

In the same way, his lecture drew on two decades of research on African immigrant entrepreneurship in South Africa and introduced a new framework focused on entrepreneurship within African contexts.

He said entrepreneurial activity in Africa is the highest in the world, yet it faces the highest business failure rate. The challenge is that African entrepreneurs rely on Western theories and apply them to local contexts, and this should change.

“We are diagnosing the wrong problem and therefore expecting outcomes that are unlikely to produce sustainable businesses. If these businesses survive and grow, there will be more jobs and opportunities. They fail not because of a lack of optimism or determination but because support systems around them were designed for someone else.

One example highlighted in the lecture was the apparent accessibility of business support services.

“While support programmes and loan opportunities may appear available on paper, many entrepreneurs cannot meet even the most basic eligibility requirements: a South African identification document, for instance, effectively excludes non-South Africans from assistance.” Having no credit history may exclude the informal township entrepreneur.

The academic community is challenged to develop theories that are grounded in African contexts.

“One would expect such theories to better reflect the realities on the ground and provide more applicable solutions. A misdiagnosis of the core issues, on the other hand, can lead to ineffective interventions rather than addressing the actual barriers faced by entrepreneurs.”

Prof Tengeh said in an interview before his inauguration that current approaches tend to focus on individual entrepreneurs rather than the support systems and environments in which they operate, limiting their effectiveness. “Redirecting energy towards support systems would yield better resilience outcomes.”

He explained that funding is only one of the constraints facing entrepreneurs. Other important factors include mentorship, access to business networks, knowledge of supply chains, and the development of a customer base. According to him, these factors are also important for business survival and long-term sustainability.

He presented the West African apprenticeship system as an example of a model in which apprentices work for three years and acquire practical knowledge of different aspects of the business, including supply chain management. 

“Upon completion, the mentor or business owner establishes a similar business for the apprentice, provides goods on credit, introduces them to relevant business networks and in some cases, allows them to take some customers.”

He suggested moving away from teaching unused theoretical content towards experiential training and involving practising entrepreneurs in teaching. “Real-world entrepreneurial knowledge cannot be taught in traditional business schools, as the critical skills are learned on the job.

“Properly designed interventions that are aligned with the profiles and circumstances of South African youth entrepreneurs could increase business start-ups, reduce failure rates and support the transition from survival to sustainability. In turn, this could contribute to job creation, increased incomes, a broader tax base and improved provision of public amenities to less privileged communities.”

He argues that entrepreneurial support must reflect the realities of entrepreneurs. His own experience helps explain why.

When he left Cameroon in the late 1990s and came to South Africa, he intended to find employment or establish a successful business. With a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics, he initially believed that he had the necessary qualifications to secure employment, particularly as jobs were available at the time. However, he soon realised that gaining entry into the South African labour market wasn’t as easy as he had expected.

He experienced many of the challenges faced by other foreign-national entrepreneurs and small businesses, while also confronting additional barriers, including difficulties with documentation, limited access to banking services, and restricted access to finance.

“My first job here was street trading, thanks to my host who supplied me with the items to sell. I was raised by entrepreneurial parents, and this exposed me to business activities from an early age, including during school holidays. The experience taught me vital life skills that later came in handy,” he recalled.

“I realised that I needed to improve my skills and decided to return to school. This led me to register for a course in Entrepreneurship at the neighbouring Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), where I subsequently completed my Master’s and PhD. I also spent time teaching in the Graphic Design, Entrepreneurship and Public Management departments. When I was satisfied that I was qualified for the next step, which was to take up a position at UWC, I went for the opportunity.”