This study examines factors inhibiting African immigrant entrepreneurs’ small and medium enterprises’ (SMEs) growth in a municipality of South Africa. Understanding these factors is important to stakeholders as this is an area that plagues much of the immigrant entrepreneurship literature. The study is descriptive in nature, and data were sourced from active African immigrant entrepreneurs through a quantitative approach. Random sampling was used to identify a total of 75 businesses. The results indicated that access to credit from regulated financial institutions is a mirage and that Afrophobic attacks on businesses dwindles prospects of entrepreneurship, job and wealth creation, thus impacting on economic growth of the region. To help bring ‘long-lasting’ co-existence between immigrant entrepreneurs and natives, formulation and implementation of ‘liberal’ integrated public policy interventions and strategies are needed. This would help in having a positive impact on the region’s prosperity in terms of job creation, poverty reduction and economic growth, in turn improving the peoples’ well-being. Given the migratory patterns and greater human global mobility, debate on integrated approaches among or within government systems should never be obscure as it is one of the biggest challenges in the continent.

The objective of this article is to determine the economic opportunities created by African immigrant entrepreneurs in South Africa. Furthermore, it is to investigate the impact that Afrophobia has on economic opportunities created by African immigrant entrepreneurs in South Africa. Research Design & Methods:The text utilizes a mixed-methods approach that incorporates both self-administered questionnaire and qualitative in-depth interviews. Through a random sampling approach and snowballing technique, this study combines data from questionnaires of 153 participants and in-depth interviews with 12 respondents. Findings: The findings confirm that immigrant SMEs fill economic gaps by contributing to innovation and technology developments. Such commercial migrants pay taxes, thus adding to the economy of the country. Challenges faced by African immigrant entrepreneurs are not few but centre on Afrophobic and xenophobic attacks which negatively impact business operations and economic growth. Implications & Recommendations: Sound measures by the government regarding immigration could minimize existing tensions, stimulate local skills development, technology development and transfer, new business opportunities, and improve inclusion into the globalised economy. Contribution & Value Added: This study is unique in that it contributes to our knowledge and literature on immigrant entrepreneurship while particularly providing insights into African immigrants' contributions to a national economy. Article type:research article

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