Gauteng Enterprise Propeller's Support on Manufacturing MSMEs in Gauteng

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to assess the effect that the support provided by the Gauteng Enterprise Propeller (GEP) has on Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Gauteng. The study aimed to explore the kind of support the GEP provides to MSMEs and the effect of that support on their annual turnover, employment, and employee income levels. A descriptive research strategy, incorporating mixed methods of data collection, was used. Questionnaires were used to collect primary from the selected sample of MSMEs, while secondary data were obtained from the GEP's reports. The results of the study illustrate that the support provided by the GEP is generic and does not address the specific needs of the MSMEs. Furthermore, the support provided by the GEP was found to be supply side driven, as it is not informed by the needs of the MSMEs. It was determined that the support resulted in an increase in annual turnover and income levels for employees, while employment remained stagnant. MSMEs prioritized higher productivity as opposed to increasing the number of employees.