By Nosihle Zulu
South Africa’s small-scale vendors, creative entrepreneurs and informal traders are being called to the fore as the Jobs Fund opens a new R5-million grant opportunity to turn business ideas into job creating realities.
This funding round zeroes in on entrepreneurs ready to scale up their businesses in high-potential but often overlooked sectors such as street vending, small-scale manufacturing and care services.
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The initiative seeks to unlock employment opportunities, particularly for youth and women, by investing in SMMEs that drive innovation at the grassroots level.
Buhle Buthelezi, a fruit and vegetable vendor from Howick in KwaZulu-Natal, sees the grant as a golden opportunity not just to grow her enterprise but to share the success.
“Should I receive this funding, I would expand my business and create jobs for people who are unemployed,” she told Vutivi News.
“I would divide responsibilities like stock ordering, quality control and cleanliness of the produce among my employees.”
Sandile Thakayithi, who runs a popular braai meat stall in the same town, also sees untapped potential in his business, held back only by access to capital.
“I have big ideas. Should I get this grant, I would hire people to sell in
multiple locations such as taxi ranks, near schools and even mobile vendors walking through town. That is how I would grow,” said Thakayithi.
Beyond the streets of Howick, Dimakatso Relela, who is the founder of Dima Relela Production in Tzaneen in Limpopo, hopes the grant will help expand her fashion and jewellery design business.
“With more space and better equipment, we can take on bigger orders and that means hiring more people,” she said. “The more resources we have, the more jobs we can create.”
The Jobs Fund, which has already invested R7.4 billion in projects across the country, has a solid track record. It has helped create over 210,000 permanent jobs, 114,000 short-term positions and internships, and supported more than 63,000 SMMEs and 16,000 emerging farmers.
This latest round calls for scalable, sustainable ideas that can transform
underdeveloped sectors. Eligible industries include renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, green transport, waste and water management, small-scale production and community care services.
Grants start from R5 million, with a 1:1 matched funding requirement for private and public sector applicants, and a 1:0.5 ratio for non-profit organisations.
Applicants must show how their initiatives will remain viable in the long term while addressing labour market challenges like limited infrastructure, access to markets, and outdated
regulations.
The deadline to apply is 5 June at 3pm.
