20 May 2010 | Andrea Klettner



Small South African businesses were boosted this week by being added to the Black Business Supplier Development Programme.

Rob Davies, minister of trade and industry, confirmed the scheme will from July officially be extended to include small, medium and micro enterprises (SMME). Once set up it will accept qualifying SMMEs from 1 September.

The supplier development programme is a cost-sharing grant where the Department of Trade and Industry contributes 90 per cent of a project cost to support black-owned businesses in South Africa. These firms receive help to improve core competencies, become more competitive and to upgrade managerial capabilities.

Participants will benefit from training including the use of company diagnostic tools, business writing skills and ethics in consulting, to help them enter the supply chain.  Other areas covered are basic understanding of company accounts and client management. 


To qualify for the scheme SMMEs must be majority black-owned and have a maximum annual turnover of R12 million (US$ 1.5 million).