A fund with a purpose

Since its inception in 1998, the National Empowerment Fund has approved about R10bn to support more than a thousand black-owned businesses countrywide in starting up, expanding and in equity transformation.

Of the funded businesses, 76% are still active, supporting more than 100,000 jobs.

About R7bn has been disbursed and more than R3.7bn has been repaid by investees.

Over the past 10 years, close to 40% of funding has accrued to black women entrepreneurs.