Removing guesswork from SMME development: leveraging data for smarter policy design

The aim of this policy brief is to demonstrate how the curation of administrative data sources, particularly access to tax records, can play a crucial role in bridging the data gap about the performance of SMMEs in South Africa. High quality, granular data is a prerequisite for smarter policy design that avoids a one-size-fits-all approach. This is crucial due to the unique and distinctive characteristics of various types of SMMEs, each facing a diverse set of challenges and needs.