Challenges facing SMMEs during their first two years of operation in South Africa

Abstract

Unemployment is a serious problem that is facing South Africa (SA) and many countries across the globe. As a result, Small, Micro and Medium Enterprises (SMMEs) have been identified as some of the suitable entities for job creation in SA. However, not many of the SMMEs experience success to the point that they can significantly contribute to the alleviation of unemployment. The objective of this paper is therefore to investigate possible challenges that SMMEs experience. The findings generally point to a need for awareness campaigns as some of the concerns raised by the participants are not legitimate. Even though the investigation was conducted in SA in the province of KwaZulu-Natal the findings are considered relevant for the rest of the country and many other parts of the world experiencing similar challenges