15 July 2026 | Johannesburg

The South African Entrepreneurs Movement (SAEM) stands in solidarity with the young entrepreneurs, creatives and professionals from Gauteng’s film industry who have peacefully raised concerns about unemployment, exclusion from economic opportunities and limited access to the province’s creative economy.

Regardless of differing views on the form of protest, the concerns raised by these young South Africans deserve to be heard and addressed through meaningful engagement and practical action.

The creative industry is not merely an entertainment sector. It is a significant contributor to economic growth, job creation, tourism, digital innovation and the development of small businesses. Thousands of entrepreneurs, filmmakers, producers, actors, editors, photographers, technicians and content creators continue to struggle to access funding, procurement opportunities and sustainable markets.

As an organisation representing entrepreneurs across South Africa, SAEM believes that lasting solutions will come through genuine collaboration between government, the private sector and entrepreneurs themselves.

SAEM therefore pledges to partner with representatives of the Gauteng film industry to:

* Develop practical entrepreneurial solutions that create sustainable employment.
* Facilitate engagement with government and private sector stakeholders.
* Advocate for greater access to funding, procurement and enterprise development opportunities.
* Support the growth of township and rural creative enterprises.
* Promote skills development, innovation and commercialisation within the creative economy.

We also call on the Gauteng Provincial Government to engage constructively with the young people involved and to work towards practical interventions that strengthen the province’s creative economy.

South Africa’s entrepreneurs are not asking for handouts—they are asking for opportunities to build businesses, create jobs and contribute meaningfully to economic growth.

The challenges facing the film industry are shared by many sectors of our economy. By working together, we can transform these challenges into opportunities that benefit young entrepreneurs and the country as a whole.

SAEM remains committed to building an economy where every entrepreneur has a fair opportunity to succeed.

Issued by:
South African Entrepreneurs Movement (SAEM)
One Movement. One Voice. One Future.

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