The financial challenges affecting the implementation of women enterprise-led projects in South Africa

Using a qualitative case study approach, data were gathered from women entrepreneurs in Durban and Gauteng through semistructured interviews. Participants identified systemic barriers to finance, including collateral-based exclusion, institutional inefficiencies, and gender biases within lending systems.

Geographic disparities further marginalised rural entrepreneurs, worsening information gaps and access to support. The findings highlight five key challenges: financial exclusion, mismatched training, inadequate institutional backing, limited networking, and socio-cultural constraints. Despite these difficulties, womenled enterprises showed transformative potential through job creation, empowerment, and community upliftment.