|
This Week’s Theme Infrastructure Push Offers Opportunities – Fuel Costs Shift Infrastructure spending continues The 2026 budget confirmed R1.07 trillion for infrastructure over the next three years, underscoring government’s commitment to public works. This ongoing focus creates substantial tender opportunities across various sectors for SMMEs. Businesses active in civils, construction, ICT, and related services should track project announcements from entities like Transnet, Eskom, and various municipalities. Preparing your bid files and compliance documents now positions you to compete effectively for these large-scale projects. Skills development grants rise South Africa’s Skills Development Levy (SDL) reform, effective from 1 April 2026, has doubled the employer grant from 20% to 40% for SETA-compliant businesses. This means SMMEs investing in staff training can recover a larger portion of their levy contributions. It is a direct incentive to upskill teams, improve productivity, and enhance competitiveness. Reviewing your SETA compliance and training records is a practical step to benefit from these increased rebates. Fuel prices see levy adjustment The fuel levy increased by 21 cents per litre from 1 April 2026, impacting transport and operational costs for many SMMEs. While temporary relief measures were initially implemented and later adjusted, the longer-term trend points to fluctuating fuel expenses. Businesses reliant on logistics, fleet operations, or machinery should regularly review their pricing strategies and operational efficiencies to absorb these shifts. Understanding the fuel levy rebate system for diesel users can also help manage these costs. What to do next: Review your tender pipeline for new infrastructure opportunities and ensure your B-BBEE, SARS, and CSD files are current. Separately, check your SETA compliance to ensure you qualify for the increased Skills Development Levy grant. |
|||||||||
|
Two moves worth making this week: |
|||||||||
|
Refer & Earn
Know an SMME we should fund? Refer them and earn when their deal closes. |
|||||||||
|
02 Funding Conditions What the market looks like this week |
|||||||||
|
Sentiment Cautious SA Prime Rate The SARB held rates at the most recent MPC decision; the next decision is in May 2026. ZAR / USD R16.49 ▼ -1.8% this week Brent Crude $105.08/bbl ▼ -4.4% this week Gold $4,724/oz ▲ +3.7% this week Yahoo Finance · 12 May 2026, 08:09 CAT Despite a steady rate environment, SMMEs face shifting operational costs from fuel levies and new opportunities through expanded infrastructure spend. Maintaining strong cash flow remains central. |
|||||||||
|
03 Tender Radar Open tenders relevant to your business |
|||||||||
|
|||||||||
|
Need Funding This Week?
A purchase order in hand or invoices waiting on payment? |
|||||||||
|
|||||||||
|
05 Tip of the Week |
|||||||||
|
With the higher Skills Development Levy grant, confirm your SETA compliance. This can significantly reduce your training costs. The recent SDL reform increases the grant from 20% to 40%, making compliance more financially rewarding. |
|||||||||
|
06 This Week’s Case Purchase Order Funding |
|||||||||
|
Deal size: R7.5m Construction firm wins large municipal civils tender, needs mobilisation cash. A Limpopo-based civils contractor secured a R7.5m municipal tender for road upgrades, but lacked the upfront capital to purchase materials and mobilise equipment. Traditional funding required collateral they didn’t have. Purchase order funding allowed Sourcefin to pay their suppliers directly, enabling the project to start on schedule and avoiding penalties. The contractor completed the work, secured future projects, and repaid the funding from the municipality’s payment. This is a fictional illustration of how Sourcefin’s products are typically used. Names and figures are not real. |
|||||||||
|
Built for the SMME journey The South African economy grows one successful SMME at a time. Sourcefin is purpose-built to partner with businesses like yours, turning awarded contracts into delivered projects. We believe in providing the working capital that keeps the wheels turning and allows entrepreneurs to focus on what they do best: building, creating, and delivering. |
|||||||||
|
Get this in your inbox every week |
