Business owners who search for Small Enterprise Finance Agency (SEFA) funding in South Africa now land in a slightly different place. We tried to read sefa.org.za on 10 November 2026 and the site returned a “certificate has expired” error, so we could not read anything there. The successor body, the Small Enterprise Development and Finance Agency (SEDFA), publishes its funding information at sedfa.org.za, and everything below comes from that page, as read today. The page carries no publication date; it shows “© 2026” and refers to the 2026 to 2027 Annual Performance Plan.
What happened to sefa
According to SEDFA’s own site, the agency was formed on 1 October 2024 by merging sefa, Seda and the Co-operative Banks Development Agency. The page adds that the legacy sefa SMME Portal still holds applications that were lodged before the move to a new platform called OneSEDFA. In practice, then, an applicant who wants what sefa used to offer should now start with SEDFA.
The funding products listed
SEDFA’s “Find the Right Funding” section lists six products:
- Asset finance, for equipment, vehicles and machinery, described as suited to manufacturers, transport operators and construction firms.
- Term loans, for working and growth capital with fixed repayment terms, suited to established traders and producers ready to expand.
- Bridging loans, short-term finance tied to a signed contract or purchase order, suited to suppliers awaiting payment.
- Revolving credit, a drawdown facility that can be repaid and reused, suited to businesses with seasonal or uneven cash cycles.
- Wholesale lending, where loans are channelled through partner financial institutions.
- Amavulandlela Funding, with flexible repayment, for businesses owned by persons with disabilities.
Amounts and programmes
The page states that direct lending products range from R50,000 to R15 million, depending on the programme. Several programmes carry their own limits:
- TREP, aimed at township and rural informal, micro and small enterprises: this list says up to R1,000,000, using a blended grant and loan structure. SEDFA’s own TREP pages and the Minister’s 27 October advisory put the ceiling at R3 million, as we reported, so this list looks out of date. Confirm the current limit with SEDFA before you apply.
- SEMSP, for manufacturers: up to R15 million.
- Youth Challenge Fund, for entrepreneurs aged 18 to 35: up to R2 million for start-ups and up to R15 million for growth enterprises.
Other featured programmes named on the page include the Youth Fund (Peo Pele), the Construction Fund, Imbali for Her for women, Supplier Development and Empretec. The Spaza Shop Support Fund is described as targeting township-based informal retailers. The page says applications under R500,000 are typically decided within 21 working days. That is SEDFA’s own statement of a typical timeframe, not a guarantee.
How to apply
For new applications, SEDFA says to start on OneSEDFA: create a free profile, check your programme matches, select a programme, upload your documents and submit. A “Funding Readiness Score” on the platform shows which programmes you may qualify for, based on your profile. Applications started earlier continue in the old SMME Portal.
The documents listed are:
- CIPC registration.
- Certified IDs of the owners.
- Bank statements for the last three to six months.
- The latest financial statements.
- A quote, invoice or contract.
- A SARS tax clearance certificate.
Tracking an application
The page explains that you enter your application number, which starts with APP or APS, in the tracking section. A one-time six-digit code is emailed to the address on the application and expires after five minutes. Tracking covers both OneSEDFA and old portal numbers. If you are unsure which system holds your application, the page gives a phone number: 086 010 3703.
Rates and eligibility
The page does not state interest rates. It says only that term loans have fixed terms and rates tailored to small enterprises. Eligibility is described in general “suited to” terms rather than as a list of criteria, so applicants should treat the Funding Readiness Score and the programme descriptions as the guide and confirm details with SEDFA before relying on them. We do not broker or recommend any funder, and approval is never guaranteed.
For the wider picture, see our overview of what business funding is open right now, our report on the TREP relaunch and what SEDFA now says about loans and rates, and our explainer on DSBD funding.
What we could not confirm
- Which TREP ceiling is current: this page lists R1,000,000, while SEDFA’s TREP pages and the Minister’s advisory say R3 million.
- sefa.org.za could not be read on 10 November 2026 because of an expired certificate, so nothing here comes from that site.
- The SEDFA page shows no publication date and no closing date is stated for any programme.
- Interest rates and fees are not stated on the page we read.
- Specific eligibility criteria for each programme are not listed on the page.
- The page’s own FAQ points new applicants to the old SMME Portal, while its main sections point to OneSEDFA. Check with SEDFA which route applies to you.
- The page describes SEDFA as a “State-owned company” in one answer and a “Schedule 2 public entity” in another, so we have not stated its legal status.
