Impact of Crime on Small Businesses Report 2008 - Gauteng Online

THE IMPACT OF CRIME ON SMALL BUSINESSES2.3 Types <strong>of</strong> businessThe majority <strong>of</strong> businesses included in the sample were sole proprietors, close corporationsand family owned businesses. Partnerships and franchises comprised asmall proportion, as did private limited companies. A very small percentage <strong>of</strong>businesses described themselves as not registered in any way.Business included in the sample had been in operation, on average, for just undereight years. This average was fairly stable across location types. Small manufacturingand construction businesses appeared to be slightly more established, averagingnine and a half years, while retail vendors averaged just over six years in operation.Chart 5: Sample by type <strong>of</strong> business54 322733Sole proprietorClose corporationFamily ownedPartnershipFranchisePrivate ltd coNot registered27Sample size: 446 businesses2.4 Business sizeBusinesses included in the survey represented a broad range <strong>of</strong> turnover categories,with the majority clustered between R25 000 and R400 000 per annum, and a significantproportion above R800 000, as illustrated in Chart 6. A small proportion <strong>of</strong>firms represented in the over R800 000 band reported turnover <strong>of</strong> up to R3 millionper annum.16