SMEs provide employment to approximately 61 per cent of households in South Africa (SA). Though, entrepreneurial activity rate (TEA) still poses a great concern, at 5.9% which is far below that of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China). Contingent employees in small retail businesses continue to face job insecurity as a result of poor working conditions and un-unionized. This study aims to explore whether contingent employees have entrepreneurial skills for self-employability as an opportunity to offset job insecurity in Roodepoort, SA. Likewise, the study used a quantitative approach and sampled 129 contingent employees from 60 small retail businesses in Roodepoort. Findings revealed that there is a significant relationship between entrepreneurial skills, job insecurity and contingent employees regarding job insecurity.
Keywords: contingent employees, SME, job insecurity, unions, entrepreneurial skills, Roodepoort and South Africa.
JEL Classification: J46, L26
