Although small businesses are considered a major source of job creation and growth in many big economies such as Japan and the United States of America, little is known about whether the financial assistance given to their counterparts in African countries incurs more benefits than costs. The importance of small scale businesses (SSBs) has not escaped developing countries' governments to the extent that they now include small scale business financial support in their annual budgets. It is not clear whether this subsidised financial assistance results in better market performance and prospects of economic growth. This article focuses on the impact of government subsidised funding to SSBs and to further determine the best support systems for SSBs which would lead to optimal utilisation of public (taxpayers') funds to the overall benefit of the citizens. Three Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) countries - Namibia, Sou