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Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) significantly contribute to South Africa's economic growth and job creation; nevertheless, their sustainability is hindered by ongoing structural issues. The article analyses how digital platforms—such as fintech, digital payments, and e-commerce—can facilitate the growth and economic resilience of SMEs. The research employs a rigorous desk review process to synthesise information from academic literature, policy reports, and case studies published from 2015 to 2025. The analysis utilises thematic synthesis, uncovering four principal themes: (1) Barriers to SME Growth, (2) Digital Platforms as Solutions, (3) Obstacles to Digital Adoption, and (4) Theoretical Perspectives on Digital Adoption. Critical findings indicate that although digital platforms have substantial prospects, their adoption is constrained by infrastructural deficiencies, digital illiteracy, regulatory challenges, and perceived risks. Utilising the Technology Acceptance Model and Diffusion of Innovation Theory, the research illustrates that perceived utility and ease of use depend on structural and ecological preparedness. The document advocates for a comprehensive, contextually tailored support system that amalgamates infrastructure enhancement, digital skills education, regulatory reform, and the cultivation of institutional trust. The paper's contribution is the reclassification of contextual restrictions as primary factors influencing digital adoption in SMEs within emerging markets.

This study examines the integration of digitalization, mobile applications, and vernacular languages in Small, Medium and Micro Enterprise (SMME) management within KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. A quantitative descriptive analysis was conducted using systematic probability sampling of 147 SMMEs across five sectors (agriculture, hospitality, construction, healthcare, and transportation) in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands region. Findings reveal significant gaps between policy support and the actual implementation of digital-vernacular language integration, with 45% of respondents indicating inadequate policy support and 58.9% expressing dissatisfaction with the current progress of digitalization.  Results suggest the need for targeted policy interventions to support the digital transformation of SMMEs that incorporate indigenous language capabilities. The study contributes to understanding the intersection of digital transformation and linguistic diversity in emerging economy entrepreneurship management, and the dynamic capabilities theory was undertaken as the benchmark to support the literature. The findings revealed a disconnect between the provision of support from policymakers and authorities regarding the program of action and deliverables that could help SMMEs integrate their entrepreneurial management with the demands of digitalisation, including resources and capabilities. The findings further exposed the gap between the expectations of SMMEs and the current level of digital and vernacular language integration in terms of systematic support and deliverables. Additionally, the findings characterized the slow pace of transformation supported by policymakers in digitalization, mobile applications, and the adoption of vernacular languages, which is already at an advanced stage in similar emerging economies in the global South.

Globally, SMEs were severely disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in developing nations where systemic vulnerabilities are more noticeable. This study examines the growth and survival tactics used by SMEs in South Africa's eThekwini Metropolitan Area during the pandemic's peak and the subsequent recovery period. The study, which was based on a quantitative design, used a structured questionnaire to survey 304 managers and owners of SMEs. The results show that SMEs used a variety of survival tactics, such as lowering operating costs, integrating digital technology, and making short-term changes to their business models. Product diversification, strategic alliances, and the adoption of e-commerce were among the growth strategies. The Resource-Based View (RBV) and Dynamic Capabilities Theory, which shed light on how SMEs used internal resources and adjusted to external shocks, serve as the foundation for this study. Recovery efforts were, however, hampered by obstacles like a lack of digital infrastructure, difficulty accessing relief funds, and complicated regulations. A post-crisis policy reflection and a SWOT analysis provide strategic insight into enhancing the resilience of SMEs. The study ends with specific managerial and policy suggestions that can be applied to urban SME ecosystems in developing nations.