Policy Study: Research to inform policy responses to economic challenges in South Africa faced by SMMEs and Cooperatives

Due to the current depressed economic climate having the potential to impact negatively on the positive growth trajectory of SMMEs and Cooperatives in South Africa, the Department of Small Business Development (DBSA) commissioned Mthente to undertake a study that would establish the preliminary effects of the downgrade and slow growth on SMMEs and Cooperatives, explore the policy responses from the experiences of three countries at a similar stage of development, provide an evaluation of the policy responses for the South African context based on the country-study benchmarking and recommend the best policy responses that would yield tangible results in supporing SMMEs and Cooperatives during periods of economic recession.

The study was informed by a workshop with entrepreneurs, interviews with SMMEs and a detailed analysis of the policy responses to economic challenges in Kenya, Taiwan and Brazil.