COVID-19 funding

last updated – 03 April 2020

IDC MCEP Loan – COVID-19 Essential Product Manufacturing

Fund Type

  • Loan

General

  • Administered by the Industrial Development Corporation – from DTIC
  • For working capital and plant & equipment requirements
  • Fund Value – R300 million
  • Maximum funding – R30 million per entity

Cost of finance

  • Priced at a fixed rate of 2.5% per annum
  • Maximum term is 48 months, including moratorium

Qualifying Criteria

  • Be a registered legal entity in South Africa
  • Companies that has been operational for at least a year
  • Companies must have a valid contract/purchase order or letter of intent
  • Applicable to manufacturers of COVID-19 essential goods
  • Companies with BBBEE Level 4 will be encouraged

More information

IDC COVID-19 Fund – COVID-19 Essential Product Manufacturing and Suppliers

Fund Type

  • Loan

General

  • Administered by the Industrial Development Corporation
  • Short term loan for once-off contract finance or import funding,
  • revolving credit, guarantees for imports

Cost of finance

  • Loans priced at prime + 1 % per annum
  • Guarantees 2% per annum
  • Maximum term is 3months, including moratorium

Qualifying Criteria

  • Track record in manufacture or supply of comparable product – ability to deliver
  • Companies should show profitability prior to application
  • Companies to be registered as a vendor with Government, Multinationals or retailers
  • Be a registered legal entity in South Africa
  • Companies that has been operational for at least a year
  • Companies must have a valid contract/purchase order or letter of intent
  • Companies with BBBEE Level 4 will be encouraged

More information

TOURISM FUND

Fund Type

  • Loan

General

  • Administered by Department of Tourism
  • Assist SMMEs in the tourism and hospitality sector who are under
  • particular stress due to the Covid 19 travel restrictions.
  • Fund Value – R200 million
  • Maximum grant: unsure

Qualifying Criteria

  • Must be a formally registered business with Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC).
  • Turnover must not exceed R2.5 million per year.
  • Must have a valid tax clearance certificate.
  • Guaranteed employment for a minimum number of staff for a period of 3 months.
  • Proof of minimum wage compliance.
  • Must provide proof of UIF registration for employees employed by the business.
  • Be an existing tourism-specific establishment as outline in the scope of application (suppliers and intermediaries are not eligible).
  • Must be in existence for at least one business financial year.
  • Prove that the relief is required as a result of the impact of COVID-19.
  • Must submit statements of financial position
  • Indicate the intended use of the resources.

Delivery Mechanisms

The relief will be distributed in a spatially equitable manner to ensure that all provinces benefit.

  • At least 70% of beneficiaries will be businesses that are Black owned.
  • At least 50% of beneficiaries will be businesses that are women owned.
  • At least 30% of beneficiaries will be businesses that are youth owned.
  • At least 4% of beneficiaries will be businesses that are owned by people with disabilities.

More information

DEBT RELIEF FINANCE SCHEME

Fund Type

  • Loan

General

  • Administered by Department of Small Business Development
  • To benefit businesses that are negatively affected, directly or indirectly, due to the Coronavirus pandemic to mitigate against job losses and the expected harsh economic impact.
  • Fund Value – R500 000 000

Qualifying Criteria

  • Registered with the CIPC by at least the 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
  • Applicants must demonstrate direct link of impact or potential impact of Covid-19

More information

BUSINESS GROWTH / RESILIENCE FACILITY

Fund Type

  • Loan

General

  • Administered by Department of Small Business Development
  • For businesses geared to take advantage of supply opportunities resulting from the Coronavirus pandemic or shortage of goods in the local market.
  • Fund Value – R500 Million

Qualifying Criteria

  • 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
  • Applicants must demonstrate direct link of impact or potential impact of Covid-19

More information

  • Complete online Application Form (to be released on Thursday, 02April 2020)

NEF LOAN

Fund Type

  • Loan

General

  • Administered by the National Empowerment Fund
  • R200 Million from the DTIC
  • For black business to purchase machinery, raw materials and other items
  • Fund Value – Loans between R500 000 – R10 000 000

Cost of finance

  • Offered at 0% interest in year 1 and fixed at 2.5% thereafter

Qualifying Criteria

  • Must produce hand sanitisers, disinfectants, hand soaps, facial masks, gloves, medical
  • protective clothing and steel beds, maize meal, flour, beans, cooking oil among other
  • items
  • Must be registered supplier for retailers or institutions that have agreed to purchase
  • the manufactured products
  • Tax compliance and commercial viability is a pre-requisite

More information

COVID-19 SME FUND

Fund Type

  • Loan

General

  • Administered by Business Partners (Rupert Foundation & Remgro)
  • For working capital (Salaries, rent, HPs, Loan installments)
  • Fund Size R900mil (R100mil for Sole Prop & Partnerships administered by PWC)
  • Transaction Value – Loans between R250 000 – R1 000 000

Cost of finance

  • M1 – M12 0%, payment holiday for first 12 months, no early payment implications
  • M12 – M60 Prime interest, no early payment implications
  • Monthly disbursements

Qualifying Criteria

  • Feb 2019 AFS signed (non negotiable)
  • Fully compliant entity
  • Formal registered entity
  • Ownership does not have to be SA Citizens
  • Excludes: Direct agriculture, non-profit organisations, Underground mining, On-lending

More information

AUTO FUND

Fund Type

  • Loan

General

  • Fund Value – R6 Billion

Cost of finance

  • To be finalized

Qualifying Criteria

  • To be finalized

SAFT – SA FUTURE TRUST

Fund Type

  • Loan

General

  • Support to SMME employees at risk of losing their jobs or who will suffer loss of income due to COVID
  • Fund Size: Openheimer R1bil relief fund

Cost of finance

  • 5year 0% interest free loan

Qualifying Criteria

  • Annual turnover below R25mil
  • Trading for min 24 months
  • Sustainable business on 29 February 2020
  • Must be an ABSA, FNB, Nedbank or Standard Bank client

More information

AGRO-PROCESSING SUPPORT SCHEME GRANT

Fund Type

  • Grant
  • The objective of the APSS is to stimulate investment by South African Agro-processing/beneficiation (agri-business) enterprises.
  • Administered by the DTI
  • Maximum funding – R20 million per entity
  • 20 to 30% grant on capital costs

Cost of finance

  • This is a grant

Qualifying Criteria

  • Be a registered legal entity
  • Possess a tax clearance certificate
  • Be involved in starting a new Agro-processing operation or in expanding or upgrading an existing Agro-processing operation
  • Submit a valid B-BBEE certificate (minimum level 4)
  • Purchase 30% of supplies from black owned farmers

More information

BLACK INDUSTRIALIST SCHEME GRANT

Fund Type

  • Grant

General

  • The Black Industrialist Scheme (BIS) incentive offers a grant on a cost sharing basis.
  • Administered by the dti
  • Maximum funding – R50 million per entity
  • 30 to 50% on mainly capital costs – not acquisitions

Cost of finance

  • This is a grant

Qualifying Criteria

  • Be a registered legal entity in South Africa
  • Be aligned to the productive sectors of the economy within the identified sectors
  • The applicant must have greater than fifty percent (>50%) shareholding and management control
  • The applicant must be directly involved in the day-to-day running of the 0peration and must have requisite expertise in the sector.

More information