A young black woman in Roodepoort now makes soap for Boxer Super Stores. Another has the ownership deed of a hotel in Mahikeng, which without alteration she could never enter.
These are the faces behind the Department of Small Business Development (DSBD)'s R3.036 billion budget vote, tabled in Parliament today, with Minister Stella Ndabeni saying the budget is rewriting who owns South Africa's economy.
Ndabeni arranged for a constitutional guarantee of economic freedom and allocation of entrepreneurs in reality by the department.
“Budget Vote 36 gives practical expression to Section 22 of the Constitution which guarantees freedom of trade, profession and profession.
“It is about expanding opportunity, restoring dignity and building an economy in which every South African – regardless of geography, gender, age or social background – can add value and participate meaningfully.
“The National Development Plan (NDP) is clear that growth and jobs will come from small enterprises – 90% of new jobs and over 60% of new economic value. The evidence is clear: small enterprises are the largest employers in this economy. They are the entry point into economic participation for the majority of South Africans. They are where first-generation entrepreneurs build generational wealth. They are where change happens,” she said.
In this regard, the Department has set a target of supporting at least one million micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and cooperatives during the tenure of the seventh administration.
“We are on track. During the last financial year, we supported 288,123 MSMEs, in which 117,134 enterprises received financial assistance and 170,989 enterprises benefited from non-financial interventions and development,” he said.
more than just numbers
Ndabeni told Parliament that although the budget vote tells of the department's plans and achievements, “behind each of these numbers is a South African entrepreneur”.
She told the story of businesswoman Mahapa Raisibe Matlako, who runs an entirely black, youth and woman-owned manufacturing company in Roodepoort, Gauteng.
In collaboration with the department, Matalhaco is now a private label manufacturer producing three types of soaps for Boxer Super Stores.
“But fulfilling a contract on a national retail scale requires capital, which a young black female manufacturer, no matter how talented, cannot achieve. SEDFA (Small Enterprise Development and Finance Agency) stepped in, providing R13.8 million through its Small Enterprise Manufacturing Support Programme. This created 32 new jobs.
“It's not just enterprise development. It's supply chain transformation. And that's what a young woman in Roodepoort is doing – with SEDFA behind her,” Ndabeni said.
Another beneficiary of the department's work is Thenziwe Tsabedze, a black woman who took over the Protea Hotel in Mahikeng and renamed it Indalo.
They were also supported by SEDFA and other financial institutions to the tune of approximately R80 million.
“This is no small moment. A black woman now has the title deed to a property that, under a different political system, she would never have entered through the front door. Now she signs the contracts. Now she sets the vision. Now she hires the staff and shapes the guest experience,” Ndabeni told the House.
building rural economy
The Minister highlighted that the department's budget will also give priority to the creation of townships and rural enterprises.
Ndabeni said the department has now developed a township and rural economic development and revitalization policy.
“We will also enhance our offerings as a DSBD portfolio for township and rural enterprises, building on the successes of 2025/26, where we distributed over R829 million to over 111 000 MSMEs through the Township and Rural Entrepreneurship Programme.
“TREP's funding limit has now been increased from R1 million to R3 million to broaden reach and deepen impact. This year we have allocated R710 million,” he said.
The grant-based asset support program supported at least 938 MSMEs at a value of R190 million.
An additional R215 million has been allocated to “provide a minimum of 860 MSMEs with productive assets that enhance their capacity, productivity and competitiveness”.
“Our Spaza Shop Support Fund, which we implement together with the DTIC, supports spaza shops with stock acquisition, formalization, compliance and operational sustainability. To date 1316 have been approved for funding through the fund, to the value of R79.6 million,” she said.
allotment
The department's budget for the 2026/27 financial year amounting to R3.036 billion will be allocated as follows:
- R2.154 billion has been allocated for transfers and subsidies.
- R277.1 million has been allocated for staff compensation.
- R597.2 million has been allocated for goods and services; And
- R7.8 million has been allocated for capital expenditure.
SEDFA will receive some R1.899 billion of transfer and subsidy allocations.
Ndabeni concluded, “This budget vote reflects our commitment to measurable impact, ensuring that public resources translate into a transformed economy with more supported businesses, more jobs created and higher levels of inclusion.” – sanews.gov.za