Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC)

The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) in South Africa plays a pivotal role in fostering economic development, competitiveness, and transformation. Established by merging the Department of Trade and Industry with the Economic Development Department, the DTIC is committed to building a vibrant industrial sector and a globally competitive South African economy.

Driving economic growth and empowering businesses

With a vision of achieving meaningful economic transformation, inclusive growth, and development, the DTIC strives to create a favorable investment, trade, and enterprise environment. Its mission encompasses promoting structural transformation, broadening economic participation, and enhancing the DTIC's capacity to effectively deliver on its objectives.

A significant aspect of the DTIC's work revolves around providing financial support to businesses through various DTIC funding programs. These initiatives, such as the Black Industrialist Scheme and the Agro-processing Support Scheme, offer eligible enterprises the opportunity to strengthen their competitiveness, expand operations, and contribute to job creation and economic empowerment.

Inclusive funding opportunities for diverse businesses

As a key driver of economic development, the DTIC is dedicated to fueling the growth of South African businesses. Through its funding programs, the DTIC offers a lifeline to entrepreneurs and enterprises, enabling them to access the financial resources necessary for expansion, research and development, and market diversification.

The application process for DTIC funding is designed to be accessible and transparent, ensuring that eligible businesses have a fair opportunity to secure financial support. With a focus on promoting inclusivity, the DTIC actively encourages the participation of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), as well as historically disadvantaged businesses, in its funding programs. By providing business grants and financial assistance, the DTIC plays a crucial role in empowering businesses across various sectors and driving sustainable economic growth in South Africa.

The DTIC operates through multiple programs, including administration, trade, investment & spatial industrial development, sectors, regulation, incentives, exports, transformation and competition, and research. Each program focuses on specific aspects of economic development, aligning with national priorities and implementing policies to drive growth.

Strategic collaborations: Empowering businesses for sustainable growth

The Council of Trade and Industry Institutions (COTII): A network of support for business success"

In addition to its internal capacity, the DTIC collaborates with specialised agencies and institutions, collectively known as the Council of Trade and Industry Institutions (COTII).

These organisations, such as the National Empowerment Fund (NEF), collaborate with the DTIC to provide financial support and expertise to businesses seeking assistance. By leveraging these partnerships, the DTIC aims to maximise its impact and promote sustainable growth.

The DTIC's objectives include increasing the contribution of small, medium, and micro-sized enterprises (SMMEs) to the economy, implementing Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) across sectors, attracting foreign direct investment, expanding market access for South African goods and services, and promoting skills, technology, and infrastructure development.

Fueling economic development: Empowering businesses through DTIC funding

Committed to operational and intellectual excellence, the DTIC endeavors to create a predictable, competitive, and socially responsible business environment. Through its funding programs, including grants, they empower businesses to thrive, innovate, and contribute to South Africa's economic growth and transformation.

The DTIC in South Africa plays a vital role in driving economic growth and empowering businesses. Through various DTIC funding programs and collaborations with specialised agencies, the DTIC aims to foster inclusive growth, enhance competitiveness, and build a globally competitive economy.

The DTIC offers several programs aimed at supporting businesses in South Africa through the provision of business grants. These programs are designed to promote economic growth, industrialisation, and transformation within various sectors.

The following programs under the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) in South Africa are known to offer business grants:

• Agro Processing Support Scheme (APSS)
• Black Industrialists Scheme (BIS)
• Clothing, Textiles, Footwear and Leather Growth Programme (CTFLGP)
• Export Marketing and Investment Assistance (EMIA)
• Film Incentive
• Global Business Service (GBS)
• Manufacturing Competitiveness Enhancement Programme (MCEP)
• Sector Specific Assistance Scheme (SSAS)
• Strategic Partnership Programme (SPP)
• Support Programme for Industrial Innovation (SPII)
• Workplace Challenge Programme (WPC)

While we cannot go over each of these in details, we’ve selected three of the most popular and successful programs that offer business grants and have sumamrised these to help you decide which programe you can apply for.

Black Industrialists Scheme (BIS): Unlocking industrial potential through DTIC funding

The DTIC has implemented the Black Industrialists Scheme (BIS) to harness the industrial capabilities of black-owned and managed enterprises in South Africa. By employing focused financial and non-financial measures, the scheme seeks to expedite the involvement of black industrialists in specific sectors and value chains. This endeavor aims to stimulate growth, attract investment, enhance exports, and generate employment opportunities. The BIS plays a pivotal role in promoting sustainable economic expansion, fostering industrial development, and driving transformation by extending support to manufacturing businesses owned by black entrepreneurs. Comprehensive guidelines, application procedures, and forms are readily accessible for interested individuals seeking to participate in the program.

Clothing, Textiles, Footwear, and Leather Growth Programme's business grants drive transformation and competitiveness

The Clothing, Textiles, Footwear and Leather Growth Programme (CTFLGP) offers various business grants to support the growth and development of the sector. The programme has been simplified and revised to better meet the sector's needs.

The grants are divided into different programs:

• Programme A focuses on competitiveness improvement, driving increases in production output, job creation, and sustainability in the sector.
• Programme B provides expansionary working capital to support product localization, company growth, and expansion.
• Programme C offers start-up funding for early-stage start-up companies and fashion designers to drive transformation.
• Programme D is dedicated to cluster funding, developing groups of globally competitive companies to ensure a sustainable business environment and support employment growth.

The grants aim to promote job growth, increase industry output, enhance competitiveness, and encourage inclusivity and transformation. The program aligns with the government's policies on transformation, women advancement, youth, and more.

The grants provide financial support for capital-intensive and labor-intensive segments of the industries, with consideration given to increasing funding limits based on project development and localisation impact. Applicants must demonstrate economic viability and sustainability, with a focus on small and medium enterprises and black-owned enterprises. The program also offers concessional loans and targeted support to maximise outcomes and impact with limited resources.

Empowering exporters: Unlocking opportunities with the Export Marketing and Investment Assistance (EMIA) Program

The Export Marketing and Investment Assistance (EMIA) Programme offers valuable business grants to support individual exporters in South Africa. EMIA provides financial assistance to compensate for qualifying costs incurred by exporters engaged in activities aimed at developing export markets and attracting foreign direct investment.

Under EMIA, eligible exporters can benefit from various incentive offerings, including individual exhibition assistance, in-store promotions, primary market research, foreign direct investment research, product registration in foreign markets, and individual inward bound missions. These grants help exporters expand their reach, enhance market presence, and explore new business opportunities globally. The program encourages the growth and competitiveness of South African exporters in the international marketplace.