Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) form the backbone of South Africa’s
economy, accounting for over 98 percent of businesses, contributing approximately 39 percent
to the national GDP, and employing more than 60 percent of the workforce. However, the
COVID-19 pandemic severely disrupted economic activity, with particularly adverse effects on
SMMEs within the Makhado Local Municipality. This study investigates the impact of COVID-
19 on SMMEs in Makhado Local Municipality, examining financial, operational, and strategic
challenges. The study is grounded in the Resource-Based View (RBV) and resilience theory,
contributing to academic debates on small business survival and crisis response. The findings
offer both practical insights for policy makers and business owners, and theoretical
implications for understanding how resources and capabilities shape resilience in times of
crisis. A quantitative research design was employed, utilizing self-administered questionnaires
distributed to SMME owners and managers. Stratified sampling ensured diverse
representation across various SMME sectors, resulting in a response rate of 97 percent. Data
were analysed using descriptive statistics, cross-tabulations, Fisher’s Exact Test, and logistic
regression. The findings indicate significant revenue losses, acute cash flow challenges, and
operational interruptions, often resulting in staff retrenchments and business closures.
Notably, increased debt burdens and liquidity shortfalls emerged as critical threats to longterm
sustainability. The study also highlights the role of government intervention in mitigating
these challenges. Although various relief measures were introduced, many SMMEs faced
difficulties accessing support due to complex application procedures and restrictive eligibility
criteria. These shortcomings underscore the urgent need for more accessible, targeted policy
responses. The study concludes by advocating for streamlined funding mechanisms,
improved access to markets, and enhanced digital infrastructure to bolster SMME resilience.
These recommendations contribute meaningfully to policy discussions on economic recovery
and crisis management, offering practical insights for strengthening the sustainability and
preparedness of the SMME sector in the face of future economic disruptions.
Mabindu maṱuku, a Vhukati na Mahulwane (SMMEs) ndi one muṱoḓo muhulwane wa ikonomi ya shango ḽa Afrika Tshipembe sa izwi a tshi swika phesenthe dzi fhiraho 98 dza mabindu oṱhe nahone a shela mulenzhe kha GDP ya lushaka nga phesenthe dza 39 khathihi na u thola vhathu vha fhiraho phesenthe dza 60 kha tshivhalo tsha vhashumi vhoṱhe nga u angaredza.
Fhedziha, dwadze ḽa COVID-19 ḽo swika he ḽa khakhisa vhukuma mishumo ya zwa ikonomi, lwe ha fhedza nga u vha na masiandaitwa a vhavhavho kha dziSMME fhaḽa kha vhupo ha Masipala Wapo wa Makhado. Ṱhoḓisiso iyi i khou ḓo sengulusa nga ha masiandaitwa a dwadze ḽa COVID-19 kha dziSMME fhaḽa kha vhupo ha Masipala Wapo wa Makhado, ya dovha hafhu ya sedza kha zwa masheleni, mashumele khathihi na dziṅwe khaedu khulwane.
Ṱhoḓisiso iyi i ḓo lavhelesa nga maanḓa kha Muhumbulo wo Ḓitikaho nga Zwiko (RBV) na thyori ya u kona u konḓelela, zwine hezwi zwa ḓo shela mulenzhe kha khanedzano dza vhoradzipfunzo dza nga ha u kona u bvela phanḓa ha mabindu maṱuku khathihi na u tandulula thaidzo dzine a ṱangana nadzo. Mawanwa a ḓo thusa kha u ṋetshedza nḓivho yo teaho kha vhabveledzi vha mbekanyamaitele khathihi na kha vhaṋe vha mabindu, hu tshi katelwa na mbuelo ya u kona u pfesesa uri zwiko na vhukoni zwi nga shandukisa hani maitele a u kona u konḓelela nga tshifhinga tsha musi hu na thaidzo. Ho shumiswa maitele a ṱhoḓisiso dza khwaḽithethivi, hune ngao ha vha na mbudzisavhathu dzine wa tou ḓidzudzanyela nga iwe muṋe dza konaha u ṋetshedzwa kha vhaṋe vha mabindu a SMME khathihi na vhalangi vhao.
Zwa u nangwa ha zwigwada zwiṱuku zwo fhambanaho zwa vhathu vhane ha ḓo vhudziswa vhone, zwi ḓo thusa kha u ita uri hu vhe na vhuimeli vhu katelaho kha sekhithara dzoṱhe dza dziSMME u ya nga u fhambanaho hadzo, zwine hezwi zwa ḓo ita uri hu vhe na tshivhalo tshihulwane tsha avho vhane vha ḓo fhindula tshi swikaho phesenthe dza 97.
Data dzo senguluswa hu tshi shumiswa mbalombalo dza vhuṱalutshedzi, thebuḽu ya mbalombalo ine ya sumbedza na u sengulusa vhushaka vhukati ha zwigwada zwivhili zwo fhambanaho na u fhira, Ndingo ya Vhukuma ya Fisher na thekiniki ya zwa mbalombalo na u guda ine ya shumiswa kha u humbulela khonadzeo ya mvelelo dza zwigwada dzo ḓitikaho nga zwithu zwivhili zwo fhambanaho na u fhira. Mvelelo dzi sumbedza ndozwo khulwane vhukuma ya mbuelo, khaedu khulwane dza u sa dzhena ha masheleni na u thithisea ha mashumele, hune kanzhi ha fhedza nga u ita uri hu vhe na u fhungudzwa ha vhashumi khathihi na u valwa ha mabindu. Musi zwo ralo, hu mbo ḓi vha na u engedzea ha thaidzo ya zwikolodo khathihi na u sa vha hone ha masheleni zwine hezwi zwa ḓo vha thaidzo khulwane
kha fhungo ḽa u nga bvela phanḓa ha bindu lwa tshifhinga tshilapfu. Ṱhoḓisiso i dovha hafhu ya ombedzela vhuḓifhinduleli ha maga a muvhuso a u tandulula thaidzo hu tshi itelwa u fhungudza thaidzo idzi. Naho ho vha na maga o fhambanaho a u lingedza u khwinisa tshiimo, vhunzhi ha dziSMME dzo ḓi bvela phanḓa na u ṱangana na thaidzo khulwane vhukuma dza u swikela thikhedzo nga mulandu wa maitele na zwiteṅwa zwi konḓaho vhukuma zwine zwa tea u swikelwa phanḓa ha musi khumbelo ya thikhedzo ye ya itwa i tshi nga ṱanganedzwa.
Vhuṱudzeṱudze uvhu vhu khakhisa ṱhoḓea ya tshihaḓu ya u bveledza maṅwe maga a zwa mbekanyamaitele dzi swikeleaho nahone dze dza tou livhana na zwenezwo. Ṱhoḓisiso yo khunyeledza nga u ṱuṱuwedza uri hu vhe na nḓila dzo khwinifhadzwaho dza u ṋetshedza thikhedzo ya zwa masheleni, tswikelo yo khwinifhadzwaho ya mimaraga na themamveledziso yo khwinifhadzwaho ya didzhithaḽa u itela u engedza u kona u konḓelela ha dziSMME.
Themendelo idzi dzi shela mulenzhe nga nḓila yavhuḓi kha nyambedzano dza mbekanyamaitele dza nga ha mbuedzedzo ya ikonomi na ndangulo ya thaidzo lune dza fhedza nga u ṋetshedza maitele a pfalaho a u khwaṱhisa zwa u bvela phanḓa na u ḓiimisela ha sekhithara ya dziSMME musi arali dzi tshi nga ṱangana na thaidzo dza zwa ikonomi dza tshifhinga tshi ḓaho.
Mabindzu Lamatsongo, ya le Xikarhi na ya le Hansi (tiSMME) hi wona lama endlaka rimba ra ikhonomi ya Afrika Dzonga, ya endla ku tlula 98 wa tiphesente ta mabindzu, ya hoxa xandla hi kwalomu ka 39 wa tiphesente eka GDP ya tiko, naswona ya thola ku tlula 60 wa tiphesente ta vatirhi. Hambiswiritano, ntungu wa COVID-19 wu kavanyetile ngopfu mintirho ya ikhonomi, laha ngopfu-ngopfu wu veke na mbuyelo wo biha eka tiSMME ta le ka Masipala wa Ndhawu ya Makhado. Dyondzo leyi yi lavisisa mbuyelo wa COVID-19 eka tiSMME eka Masipala wa Ndhawu ya Makhado, ku kambisisa mintlhontlho ya swa timali, ya matirhelo, na ya xitiratejiki.
Dyondzo leyi yi ya hi ku landza Resource-Based View (modele lowu xopaxopaka switirhisiwa swa khamphani ku kambela ku vuyeriwa ka mphikizano ka khamphani) na thiyori ya ku tiyisela, leswi hoxaka xandla eka minjhekanjhekisano ya swa tidyondzo eka ku va kona ka mabindzu lamatsongo na nhlamulo ya khombo. Leswi kumiweke swi nyika vutivi lebyi kotekaka eka vaendli va pholisi na vini va mabindzu, na switandzhaku swa thiyori eka ku twisisa ndlela leyi switirhisiwa na vuswikoti swi vumbaka ku tiyisela hi nkarhi wa khombo. Ku tirhisiwile kungu ra ndzavisiso wa nhlayo, hi ku tirhisa swivutiso swo tiyimela hi swoxe leswi hangalasiweke eka vini va SMME na vafambisi. Tisampulu leti lunghisiweke ti tiyisisile vuyimeri byo hambana eka tisekithara to hambana ta SMME, leswi endleke leswaku ku va na rivilo ra matirhelo ra 97 wa tiphesente. Data yi kamberiwile hi ku tirhisa tinhlayohlayo leti hlamuselaka, cross-tabulation (endlelo ro tirhisa tafula), Fisher’s Exact Test (xikambelo xo kambela loko ku ri na vuxaka exikarhi ka swilo swo hambana-hambana), na logistic regression (endlelo ro xopaxopa data leri tirhisaka tinhlayo ku kuma vuxaka exikarhi ka swilo swimbirhi swa data). Leswi kumiweke swi kombisa ku lahlekeriwa lokukulu ka mali leyi nghenaka, mintlhontlho ya nkhuluko wa mali leyi nghenaka kumbe yi humaka, na ku kavanyeteka ka matirhelo, leswi talaka ku endla leswaku ku hungutiwa vatirhi na ku pfala ka mabindzu.
Ngopfu-ngopfu, ku tlakuka ka mindzhwalo ya swikweleti na ku pfumaleka ka mali swi vonakala tanihi minxungeto yo tika eka ku hlayiseka ka nkarhi wo leha. Dyondzo leyi yi tlhela yi kombisa ntirho wa ku nghenelela ka mfumo eku hunguteni ka mintlhontlho leyi. Hambileswi ku simekiweke tindlela to hambana ta mphalalo, tiSMME to tala ti tikeriwile hi ku kuma nseketelo hikwalaho ka maendlelo yo hlanganahlangana yo endla swikombelo ni milawu yo fanela leyi pimeriweke. Ku kayivela loku ku tiyisisa xilaveko xa xihatla xa leswaku ku va ni tinhlamulo leti fikelelekaka, leti kongomeke ta pholisi. Dyondzo leyi yi gimeta hi ku seketela leswaku ku fanele ku antswisiwa ndlela ya matirhelo ya timali, ku mfikelelo lowu antswisiweke eka timakete, na switirhisiwa swa dijithali leswi antswisiweke leswaku ku seketeriwa ku tiyisela ka tiSMME.
Switsundzuxo leswi swi hoxa xandla hi ndlela leyi twalaka eka minkanerisano ya pholisi eka ku pfuxetiwa ka ikhonomi na vulawuri bya khombo, ku nyika vutivi lebyi kotekaka byo tiyisa ku hlayiseka na ku tilulamisela ka sekithara ya SMME ku langutana na ku kavanyeteka ka ikhonomi ka nkarhi lowu taka.
