Anton Roelofse In recent years, the number of financiers that make funding available to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in South Africa has increased significantly. Yet in spite of this, each year sees countless SMEs struggling to access business finance, according to Anton Roelofse, Regional General Manager at Business Partners Limited . “The current economic state is definitely a major contributor to the challenges that SMEs experience in securing funding when they need it. South Africa’s low economic growth over recent years has negatively impacted the future forecasts of most companies and SMEs especially, find it more difficult to show proof that they can remain solvent for the foreseeable future. This is of course one of the qualifying criteria set forth by funding institutions.” Roelofse explains that applying for business funding involves a number of steps including due diligence, and for certain types of businesses, it may even require trade licenses. “All these st...

Ben Bierman During the last financial year, Business Partners Limited (BUSINESS/PARTNERS) - a leading risk financier for SMEs in South Africa and selected African countries - approved R1.049 billion in funding through 295 investments for small and medium enterprises. This is according to Ben Bierman, Managing Director of BUSINESS/PARTNERS, following today’s release of the company’s 2017/2018 financial results. “Of these new investments, we are pleased to report that financial assistance to black entrepreneurs increased to 40.5 percent compared with 27.4 percent in the previous financial year, and finance assistance to female entrepreneurs improved to 37 percent (34 percent: 2016/2017),” he adds. “Placing over R1 billion into the hands of business owners has helped to save and facilitate much needed job opportunities in the South African environment, assisting in driving the economy forward. During a year when low economic growth impacted all businesses, especially SMEs, this o...