The Challenges of Rural, Women Small-Business Owners in Limpopo Province: A Case of Makhado Local Municipality, South Africa

Abstract

For decades, business has been a male-dominated activity, but brecently a considerable number of female entrepreeneurs have emerged around the world. One of the motivating aspects that drives women to be entrepreneurs is the flexibility offered by self-employment, women's ability to contribute to the economy of the country and also to be able to contribute to the household income. However, there are challenges experienced by women entrepreenurs in growing their businesses. This may be due to the fact that women have a wide range of responsibilities both at work and at home that affect their productivity. Multiple family tasks and responsibilities for women entrepreenurs may cause work-family conflict, which could jeopardise their long term business success. Therefore the aim of this study is to investigate the challenges that women who own small-medium entreprises face in Makhado municiplaity, Limpopo Province, South Africa. The study is qualitative in nature and data was collected through the usage of face-to-face interviews with 40 women entrepreneurs. The findings indicate that the respondents had encountered discrimination in various forms, including being told that the ought to remain at home and take care of the family because they are women; being refused credit because their husbands or sons need to co-sign the agreement; being asked for sexual favours before they could get financial assistance and many more.   The respondents recommended that they want to be trained in bsuiness skills and the training should be needs-based; they also indicated that they wanted financial support for their busiensses from government and its agencies; and also favourable infstracture where they are working. The study concluded that women have a role to play in business and the general economy, therefore the municiplaity and the province should address their challenges.