Abstract
Statistics have shown that, in the past, most entrepreneurs were men (Mastercard,
2018; Herbst, 2020; Bosma, Hill, Ionescu-Somers, Kelley, Levie, & Tarnawa, 2020).
However, this trend has begun to shift in recent years. According to recent studies,
the number of women who have started their own businesses has been significantly
growing, which suggests that an increasing number of women are adopting an
entrepreneurial mindset. Women are more likely to start and grow new businesses,
creating more employment opportunities. Female entrepreneurship is gaining
popularity as a viable means for long-term economic growth and development in
developing countries. This indicates that women are becoming more active as
business owners in numbers that would have been hard to imagine a mere few
decades ago. The employment market in South Africa, on the other hand, is more
accommodating to men than it is to women, regardless of race, while women are more
likely than men to perform unpaid work. The diverse socio-economic and psychosocial
reasons that are pushing the labour market toward knowledge-based work are the root
causes of the large and complex changes occurring in the workplace today.
Female entrepreneurship has been at the centre of discussion for more than a decade
for various reasons, including issues of social equality, economic engagement and
empowerment, and national growth. It is very challenging to work in the industry that
society perceives as being for men because society undermines women that work in
a male-dominated industry; hence, women continue to face several barriers to
becoming entrepreneurs. This study aimed to explore the challenges faced by female
entrepreneurs operating in the learner transport industry in the Gauteng province in
South Africa. This study utilised a qualitative research approach by conducting semistructured
interviews with 15 female entrepreneurs operating in the learner transport
industry in Gauteng. A non-probability convenience sampling approach was adopted.
Following the data collection phase, data were analysed through thematic content
analysis using ATLAS.ti.
These themes included resource requirements, female entrepreneurs’ characteristics,
entrepreneurial motivation, industry dynamics and training, skills development, and
government support. They were followed by sub-themes such as high operational
costs, a male-dominated industry, being disrespected or undermined by customers, a
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lack of trust and commitment, being belittled and a lack of opportunity awareness. Due
to the current working circumstances in the industry, the participants suggested that
the government collaborate with Gauteng Education Transport Services (GETS) and
its regional transport associations to address the challenges women operating in the
industry face. The findings further indicated the need for government assistance in the
form of financial subsidies and making business capital easily accessible to assist
women in starting and operating their businesses successfully. Industry-specific
training should be made available in order to tackle the lack of possibilities for skills
development and training. Additionally, learner transport associations must mobilise
the sector to raise policy awareness and set up mentoring and training services in an
effort to enhance working conditions. The findings of the study contribute both to the
industry as well as the existing body of knowledge. Currently, only GETS is
responsible for regulating the industry without any governmental support. Therefore,
the study findings will assist the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport in
collaborating with GETS and regional industry associations to improve the working
environment for female entrepreneurs operating in the learner transport industry and
grow the industry in a more structured and regulated manner. In addition, the findings
of this study will make a significant theoretical contribution to the existing body of
research and to the business practices of female entrepreneurs in the province of
Gauteng in South Africa. This will be accomplished through increasing awareness and
comprehension of the challenges that female entrepreneurs in the sector face under
investigation.