Author(s)

Sijuwade Adedayo Ogunsola^1*, Nobubele Potwana¹, Bongani Innocent Dlamini¹, Robert Walter Dumisani Zondo¹, Oluwafemi Adedeji Ogunsola², Adewale Titus Elewode³

¹Faculty of Management Sciences, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa.
²Faculty of Education, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.
³Hezekiah Oluwasanmi Library, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.

An important global concern is the condition of the environment. In many world cities, effluence has reached a dangerous level. Concerns regarding “green gases” are widespread, and newfangled directives have severely impacted several industries. As people tend to be dissimilar when it comes to an environment, business owners must understand the risks and possibilities that come with their environment. This study aims to determine whether Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) are acquainted with environmental issues that impair their business operations. The study used a quantitative approach, with structured questionnaires to gather data from SMMEs in the eThekwini Municipality of Durban. The sample demographics were analyzed using descriptive statistical analysis, and the variables’ means and standard deviations were then calculated. Prominent discoveries of this study revealed that some entrepreneurs care for their environment through job provisioning to the disadvantaged to curb the rate of unemployment and poverty. The concerning issue that emerged from the responses of the participants was that entrepreneurs were unable to spot business opportunities around them.

Competence, Entrepreneurs, Economy, SMMEs, Municipality, Environ-ment and South Africa

Ogunsola, S. , Potwana, N. , Dlamini, B. , Zondo, R. , Ogunsola, O. and Elewode, A. (2024) Does Environmental Sustainability Influence the Competence of SMMEs? Evidence from the eThekwini Municipality in South Africa. Open Access Library Journal, 11, 1-25. doi: 10.4236/oalib.1111214.