GDP Rebasing and the Visibility of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises in South Africa: Implications for Development Policy

Introduction: GDP rebasing and national-accounts re-benchmarking can change the measured size and structure of economic activity, yet their implications for the statistical visibility of South African micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) remain insufficiently established. MSMEs are frequently informal, heterogeneous and unevenly represented in formal statistical systems. Methods: The researcher-selected databases and information sources were Google Scholar, ERIC. The eligibility protocol limited publications to 2015–2026. The verified identification provenance did not record the exact calendar date of search execution; this differs from the publication-year eligibility range. We searched Google Scholar and ERIC for English-language peer-reviewed studies published from 2015 to 2026. The recorded PRISMA workflow identified 150 records, removed 73 duplicates, screened 77 records, assessed 28 full texts and included 28 studies. Results: The synthesis found that informality, record-keeping, business formality and operating conditions shape what becomes statistically visible. Comparative evidence indicates that rebasing can improve the macroeconomic baseline, but no supplied finding directly tests whether South African MSMEs become more visible after rebasing. Policy usefulness depends on disaggregated data, institutional capacity and reliable infrastructure. Evidence also diverges on MSME contributions to economic outcomes, showing that improved measurement does not automatically produce effective policy. Discussion/Conclusion: GDP rebasing should be understood as a conditional opportunity rather than evidence of improved MSME visibility. South African policy relevance requires explicitly integrating informal, sectoral, and firm-size information into national-account processes, supported by direct empirical research on benchmark revisions and post-rebasing outcomes.