South Africa like currently faces pressing challenges owing to the absence ofsustained economic growth and job creation. As a developing economy, entrepreneurshipand innovation are vital to job creation, unlocking growth and enhancing overallproductivity. The government has thus prioritized entrepreneurship and the advancementof small, medium and micro-sized enterprises (SMMEs) as the catalyst toachieving economic growth and job creation. The Department of Trade and Industry(DTI) is taking the lead in implementing SMME-related policies, to achieve the aboveobjective. This paper discusses the current status quo of job creation, economicgrowth and development in South Africa, as well as the challenges to innovation andEntrepreneurship. It reviews government policies and programs as well as emergingtrends in entrepreneurship and innovation being put in place. The paper concludeswith recommendations and the way forward for South Africa to promoting jobcreation and economic growth through entrepreneurship and innovation.

Relevance to innovation. This paper addresses a pertinent issue of the challengesto innovation and entrepreneurship in South Africa, by clearly elucidating the needfor government to understand the current status, challenges and to enunciate rationalsolutions that can lead to innovation, economic growth and job creation. It is more ofa position paper that highlights the necessity for innovative approach to addressingthe challenges to innovation and entrepreneurship in South Africa and indeed othercountries in Sub-Saharan Africa. Attending to the issues raised in this paper willhave significant impact in the improvement of life in Sub-Saharan Africa especiallyamongst the youth.