I provide essential service and products
If you provide essential services and products to the fight against COVID-19 and need funding to keep up with growing demand.
The SMME Business Growth Resilience Facility - Available from the Department of Small Business Development
The SMME Business Growth Resilience Facility has been established for businesses who are geared to take advantage of supply opportunities resulting from COVID-19 or shortage of goods in the local market.
If you provide essential services and products to the fight against COVID-19 and need funding to keep up with growing demand, please see below.
The qualifying criteria are the following:
- The business must have been registered with CIPC by at least 28 February 2020.
- Company must be 100% owned by South African Citizens.
- Employees must be 70% South Africans.
- Priority will be given to businesses owned by Women, Youth and People with Disabilities.
- Be registered and compliant with SARS and UIF.
Applications are open from 2 April 2020.
For further information and to apply, please visit
COVID-19 Black Business Funding solution - Available from the National Empowerment Fund
This funding is for black-owned businesses who require funding geared at supporting the manufacture of various medical supplies and the production of food.
Salient Features of the Fund:
- Limited to R10 million per applicant for working capital, machinery and equipment.
- Up to 12 months payment moratorium at 0% fixed interest rate.
- After 12 months a fixed interest rate of 2,5% will apply.
- Maximum term is 60 months, including moratorium.
- First drawdown must occur within 1 month from approval date.
The fund WILL NOT service any pre-existing debt or help settle monies owed.
Qualifying Criteria:
- Be a registered legal entity in South Africa in terms of the Companies Act, 2008 (as amended); the Close Corporations Act, 1984 or the Co-operatives Act, 2005.
- Be a taxpayer in good standing with a valid tax clearance certificate at assessment as well as before the loan is disbursed.
- Be a current and registered supplier with retailers and other institutions in good standing or have a purchase order/contract/letter of intent.
- Require working capital or funds to purchase machinery and equipment.
- Have greater than fifty percent (>50%) Black shareholding and management control. Must be directly involved in the day-to-day running of the operation and must have requisite expertise in the sector. Owned by black South Africans as defined by the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) Act.
- In line with the NEF's transformation mandate, preference will be given to applications that demonstrate meaningful black women ownership, management and control.
- Have a project with a minimum requirement of R500 000 in working capital, machinery and equipment.
- Must result in retaining or increasing direct jobs.
- Submission of all relevant documents for commercially viable applications.
To apply, please download the National Empowerment Fund application form here.
For further information please download the National Empowerment Fund COVID-19 Funding brochure here.
IDC COVID-19 Essential Supplies Intervention - Available from the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC)
The IDC COVID-19 Essential Supplies Intervention is established to provide funding to companies that have the capacity to acquire and/or manufacture products needed to treat, curtail and combat the spread of COVID-19.
Financial support to be provided by the IDC includes the following:
- Support for the manufacturing of essential medical products (please refer to link for detailed list of products).
- A short-term loan to companies for once-off contract or import funding.
- Revolving credit facility: Guarantees to banks for banking facilities, imports and ordering requirements.
- Interest rate and pricing: IDC loan and trade finance facilities: Prime + 1%p.a.
- MCEP Loan Guarantees: 2.5% p.a.
- Guarantees: 2% p.a.
The qualifying criteria are the following:
- Companies that have a track record of manufacturing similar products.
- For imports, you are able import at the required scale (and there is insufficient local manufacturing capacity).
- Company should be an accredited supplier (in either the private or public sector).
- Company should demonstrate historical profitability.
- Contract or purchase order with either the South African Government or similar large customer for essential supplies.
- Your mark-up is reasonable to prevent profiteering and price-gouging.
- Your geographic focus area is South Africa and the South African Customers Union.
For further information and how to apply, go to
