BENEFICIOS IOT EN EL SISTEMA DE SALUD

Based on the findings of this research, some recommendations are suggested to the SMME owners and managers, the government, government agencies, Institutions of higher learning and colleges and other private companies.

7.6.1 Government agencies

Government agencies need to effectively provide services to the people that they ought to serve. They should implement strategies that can help to improve SMME performance in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality. Government agencies should also target youths and empower them to become employment creators rather than ordinary job seekers. It is also suggested that government agencies work hand in hand with the banks to ease access to finance by SMMEs. Government agencies need to do more; instead of just focusing on the provision of resources. They should also equip entrepreneurs with the necessary skills.

Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA), Eastern Cape Development Agency (ECDC), Khula Enterprise Finance and other government establishments should also be well coordinated in the province with their activities closely monitored. They should also be easily accessible to the people that they ought to serve, that is owners and managers of SMMEs.

7.6.2 Government

Considering the role played by SMMEs and entrepreneurs in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality in reducing unemployment and poverty, the government should continuously assess the performance of SMMEs, and help provide resources, where necessary, but in a more sustainable manner. The government

171 should provide resources in a manner that will not limit the entrepreneurial spirit and create a spirit of dependence. It is recommended that the government come up with other strategies to compliment entrepreneurship education that will help create independent entrepreneurs instead of educated beggars.

The government can achieve this by promoting entrepreneurship education programmes in schools, universities and also through organised workshops. Not only students need to be targeted but also the owner managers of already established SMMEs. Funding entrepreneurship education programmes will also be a useful intervention by the government for the private sector will be reluctant to provide unprofitable services. It remains the role of the government to monitor activities of all other stakeholders that promote entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship education in the Republic.

7.6.2 SMME owners and managers

It has to be noted that SMME operators are responsible for the performance of their SMMEs. SMME operators need to take advantage of entrepreneurship education programmes that are offered by institutions of higher learning and government agencies if they really want to improve the performance of their businesses. SMME owners and managers also need to consider empowering their staff with entrepreneurial skills and knowledge. This will give them higher chances of success.

SMME owner managers should not only wait for services provided free of charge by the government or by government agencies, they should seek entrepreneurship education programmes to improve the possibility of success of their establishments.

7.6.3 Institutions of higher learning

Institutions of higher learning need to play a critical role in providing entrepreneurship education, for they have the expertise and resources to do so. Awareness campaigns need to be carried out at universities and colleges to motivate students to enrol for entrepreneurship courses. Entrepreneurship courses

172 need to be offered across all disciplines, this means that it should not be limited only to commerce students. There is also a need to market entrepreneurship as another career alternative for students. This will motivate students to start their own businesses and employ other people rather that just becoming job seekers. It is also important that entrepreneurship education by universities and colleges should not be only limited to registered students, it should be extended to the people around university and college communities, through community engagement projects. Institutions of higher learning should teach people in their communities to create economic opportunities for themselves rather than being dependent on employers or the government.

7.6.4 Banks

Banks should help ease the problem of access to finance of SMMEs. They should monitor and assess the potential of SMME operators, rather than only considering collateral security and a deposit that most SMME owners and managers lack. They should also help in improving the knowledge base and skills of SMME owners and managers that will have applied for finance. It is recommended that banks provide financial resources to SMME operators who show potential for success, those with evidence that they have attained a certain level of education, or who have attended an entrepreneurship education course or at least underwent training.

7.6.5 Other private companies

Other private companies, through their corporate social responsibility, should strive to improve the performance of SMMEs. The fact that SMMEs also aid larger firms, means that assisting SMMEs will be an added advantage to larger firms in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality.

SMMEs should not only be seen as potential competitors by other firms (larger) for they also compliment larger firms.

7.7 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

Due to a limited budget, the researcher could not focus on all SMMEs in the Eastern Cape Province. This researcher only focused on SMMEs registered in the

173 Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality. Only SMMEs registered with the Eastern Cape Development Corporation participated in this research. There were also literacy problems because some respondents were not able to read and write. Although there was an 80% response rate, it has to be noted that some (20%) of the respondents did not cooperate. Based on the limitations highlighted, the results should be used with caution, especially when generalising to the whole of South Africa.