Shorttitle SMMEs are considered to be the engines of growth of any economy. In the light of recent economic events and the recession that is surging rapidly across the globe, more and more attention is being focused on SMME development and support. Whilst there are a number of organisations (both public and private) who provide support to SMMEs within the eThekwini Municipality Area (EMA), the overall impacts of these initiatives on SMME growth and development is minimal and there is a dearth of studies that critically examine business support services for SMMEs provided by the public and private sectors. One of the major reasons for this minimal impact is the lack of communication and co-ordination between various service providers which often results in fragmentation and duplication of services