Affiliation: University of Johannesburg, Department of Social Work and Community Development ABSTRACT The impressive impact made by social entrepreneurs in addressing socio-economic challenges faced by people coming from disadvantaged communities, especially in the highly poverty-stricken provinces of South Africa, such as Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal provinces shows that social entrepreneurship has a great potential to assist in the attempts made to eradicate poverty in the country as a whole (Impact of social entrepreneurs on community development in the Cape Town Metropolitan Municipality area, 2017). Poverty is a complex social issue and thus requires an innovative approach that can make positive societal impact. It is caused mainly by the increasing unemployment rate, and underemployment resulting in almost half of the South African population depending entirely on social grants. This includes the R370 Social Relief of Distress Grant (SRD Grant) received by unemployed youth per month. This paper aim to provide current role and contribution of social entrepreneurship in South Africa, and explores the application of business and indigenous knowledge systems. Furthermore, the paper looks at ways of how best these together with the lessons learned can be utilized to effect the change required to alleviate poverty and ensure sustainable development. A qualitative research approach and an explorative descriptive research design are employed. Interviews will be used to collect data from identified social entrepreneurs and their partners from various sectors including the private, public, and NGO sectors, including strategic leaders from other organs of civil society. Finally, based on the findings, the paper recommends practice innovations for community development and social work practice. Key words: Social entrepreneurship, Poverty, Community development, Partnership, Social development and Social service practitioners List of references Impact of social entrepreneurs on community development in the Cape Town Metropolitan Municipality area, South Africa Russ Ngatse-Ipangui, Maurice O. Dassah Received: 18 Sept. 2017; Accepted: 28 Aug. 2018; Published: 30 Jan. 2019
