The New R150m SME Youth Jobs Fund: Who Qualifies and How to Apply

What was announced

On 17 August 2026, Business Partners Limited announced a R150 million SME Youth Jobs Fund aimed at enabling established small and medium enterprises to create new jobs for young South Africans while funding their own growth.

The fund responds directly to the Q2 2026 labour figures, which showed roughly 4.7 to 5 million young South Africans aged 15 to 34 out of work.

Who it is aimed at

The focus is established SMEs — businesses already trading with revenue and a track record — rather than pre-revenue start-ups. The core requirement is that the finance is tied to creating new youth positions, not replacing existing staff.

Confirm the current eligibility criteria, minimum and maximum amounts and sector restrictions directly with Business Partners before you build your application, as fund terms are updated over time.

Get these documents ready first

CIPC registration documents and a current company profile; a valid tax compliance status; twelve months of business bank statements; management accounts and your latest annual financial statements; and identity documents for all directors.

Most small business finance applications stall on compliance paperwork rather than on the business case. Fix these before you apply.

Build the job-creation case

State exactly how many youth roles you will create, the job titles, the monthly cost of each, and the revenue or capacity increase those hires unlock. Attach a simple 12-month cash flow showing the business can carry the salaries after the funding period.

Where you can, link the roles to a signed contract, purchase order or a documented pipeline — funders back demand they can see.

Other funding to run alongside it

SEFA bridging finance, NEF equity for black-owned businesses, IDC industrial finance, NYDA grants for founders aged 18 to 35, and the Employment Tax Incentive for qualifying young employees can all be layered with a jobs-linked facility. SEDA provides free help getting compliance and business plans in order.