Abstract
Keywords Economic sustainability; Marketplace; Small, medium, and micro enterprise; SMME; South Africa. Abstract This qualitative study investigates the economic sustainability of small, medium, and micro enterprises (SMMEs) in both formal and informal marketplaces within Johannesburg, Gauteng. Considering the UN SDG's, 16 marketplace vendors-nine from informal and seven from formal settings, were interviewed to facilitate comparative analysis. The findings revealed that formal marketplaces tend to be more economically viable compared to informal ones, which struggle with issues such as police harassment, lack of proper documentation, understanding of regulations, insufficient infrastructure, and inadequate capital. The study aims to inform national government, municipal authorities, and support organisations about these challenges of enhancing SMME economic sustainability, particularly those in informal marketplaces. We found that SME stability was influenced by social capital, strategic flexibility, market characteristics, and market experience.