SME showcase

South Africa’s food value chains need more high-performing, investment-ready SMEs. The AMIE Academy Fund aims to back them with targeted finance, hands-on mentorship and access to markets across the meat, poultry and wider import–export ecosystem. It’s positioned as a practical route for companies to meet ESD and B-BBEE goals while supporting real enterprise growth and […]

Cloudy Deliveries has been named overall winner of the 2025 Standard Bank Kasi SME National Pitch Challenge, taking home R200 000 at the national finals held in KwaZulu-Natal on 27 August. The competition, now in its third year and expanded nationally for the first time, drew more than 850 applications from township entrepreneurs across all

Phakamani Impact Capital will mark a historic milestone this month—R1 billion in funding facilitated for South African SMMEs since inception—underscoring a long-term focus on building resilient entrepreneurs, backing mining-linked communities, and turning enterprise and supplier development (ESD) into real economic participation. By Phakamani Impact Capital – BizCommunity The organisation says its model combines patient capital,

Anglo American’s Zimele programme, which has supported SMEs in mining towns since the late 1980s, is expanding into tourism to open skills and short-term job opportunities for young people — including chances to travel abroad. By Dineo Faku – Business Live Zimele’s head, Larisha Naidoo, says tourism is creating new pathways for youth in mining

The Standard Bank Kasi SME National Pitch Challenge Summit 2025 brings 18 township entrepreneurs to KZN on Wednesday, 27 August, with R500 000 on the table. The top two from each province advanced after a nine-province run of pitches, under the theme “Future-Proofing Kasi Businesses: From Survival to Sustainable Success”. The summit is powered by

AdvannoTech, a 100 percent black-owned IoT solutions provider, is scaling its impact across South Africa through a strategic partnership with Telkom Consumer and Small Business. This collaboration has enabled AdvannoTech to move from enterprise development to supplier development, opening access to national markets and accelerating growth. By Gugu Lourie – Tech Financials AdvannoTech’s flagship IoT

Since the end of apartheid, South Africa has sought to rebalance power and wealth through one of the most extensive affirmative action programmes in the world. Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) was designed to open opportunities for black South Africans in business ownership, management, and procurement. By The Economist Yet, three decades on, the results

Liquid Intelligent Technologies, part of Cassava Technologies, has wrapped up its 2024 Fibre TechCelerate Programme with strong results that point to a more inclusive digital future. The graduation ceremony in East London honoured 20 local SMMEs and 10 female ICT students from Walter Sisulu University — all now certified to participate in the Eastern Cape’s

Standard Bank and SACCI have launched a landmark Export Readiness Programme for KwaZulu-Natal SMEs—designed to prepare 20 local businesses for entry into global markets. This initiative tackles common hurdles—such as complex trade regulations, limited finance access, and lack of export experience—by offering practical training, certification, and strategic support. By MSN Participating SMEs gain export compliance

In a compelling critique, Muzi Mhlambi argues that South Africa’s SME financing issue isn’t about a shortfall of capital, but about inequitable access and poor targeting. While the DTIC’s proposed R100 billion fund aims to boost black entrepreneurship, systemic barriers are preventing the flow of investment to the MSMEs that need it most. By Muzi