Small-scale industry in black South Africa

Abstract

An examination of the evolution and development of Black small-scale manufacturers in the rural and urban areas of South Africa is presented. Within the context of the broader literature of small-scale enterprises the focus is on issues surrounding the developmental potential of small-scale entrepreneurs. The historical analysis of Black entrepreneurship in South Africa indicates that external rather than internal factors constitute the main constraints to the development of small-scale entrepreneurs. Discrimination by government emerges as the principal factor for the continued underdevelopment of Black entrepreneurship in South Africa.