The Mpumalanga Economic Growth Agency (MEGA) is the province’s development finance body, and its website sets out who it lends to and on what terms. We read the pages at mega.gov.za on 10 November 2026. Note that the version with “www” returned a certificate error, so use the address without it. None of the pages we read carries a publication date; they show only “Copyright © 2026 MEGA”, and the application form files appear to have been uploaded in May 2025.
What MEGA funds
MEGA’s funding page describes two broad lines. Business funding is for SMMEs and businesses in sectors it lists as agro-processing, mining, energy, manufacturing, construction, trade, transport, forestry, services, government and community. Individual funding is for housing. The page says business funding targets aspirant business persons in the historically disadvantaged individual (HDI) category, and housing funding is also for historically disadvantaged individuals. Separate pages cover agriculture and agro-processing, SMMEs and co-operatives, and a COVID-19 Relief Fund page.
The lending criteria
The lending criteria page lists the following requirements:
- Historically Disadvantaged Individuals.
- South African citizens or permanent residents with a valid identity document, aged 18 or older.
- Access to land (leased, communal, usufruct or owned) and, or, production facilities.
- Active involvement in running and managing the business.
- Viable SMMEs and co-operatives, or entities with good prospects of profitability.
- A reasonable credit record and the ability to repay the loan.
- A minimum financial contribution of 10 per cent, which can include assets.
- Registration with the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC), except for emerging or small-scale farmers.
- Priority for enterprises that can create jobs.
- The business and its promoter must not be under judicial management.
Fees
The same page states an initiation fee of 1 per cent of the loan applied for, capped at R5,000 excluding VAT. It does not apply to co-operatives under the Comprehensive Rural Development Programme.
Loan types and terms
On the agriculture and agro-processing page, MEGA lists these loan packages and maximum repayment periods:
- Seasonal loans: seasonal repayment terms.
- Livestock loans, such as poultry and piggery: three to eight years maximum.
- Revolving credit facility: one year maximum.
- Bridging loans: based on the contract period.
- Business loans: ten years maximum.
- Guarantees: based on the contract period.
- Equity funding: based on the contract period.
The page says MEGA’s loans are aimed at historically disadvantaged individuals who may not meet the stringent requirements of commercial lenders, and that applicants are assessed on age and ability to afford credit under the National Credit Act and the Financial Intelligence Centre Act.
Housing loans
The housing page says MEGA offers customised loan packages to build or renovate houses for individuals entering the housing market in Mpumalanga. The standard term is 18 years, and debt can be restructured with an extension of up to 25 years.
How to apply
MEGA’s pages direct applicants to download its loan application form (SMME and Agric) or the Home Loan application form from the relevant page. Contact details given are the head office at 02 Eastern Boulevard, Riverside, Mbombela, 1201, the email info@mega.gov.za and the telephone number +27 13 492 5818. The funding page also lists offices at Ekandustria, Secunda and Siyabuswa, without addresses. MEGA’s site also offers a finance calculator, though the page shows only generic input fields and no MEGA rates.
Other services
Beyond lending, the main page lists investment promotion, trade promotion and property development and management, including rental properties. These are not funding products, so we have not covered their terms here.
To compare funders, see our overview of what business funding is open right now and our explainers on Land Bank loans and DSBD funding.
What we could not confirm
- No loan amounts or limits are stated on any page we read.
- No interest rates are published on the pages we read.
- The pages do not say whether any product is currently open or closed, and no closing date is stated.
- Security or collateral requirements and a full list of required documents are not given on the lending criteria page.
- No processing times are stated.
- The pages carry no publication date, only a 2026 copyright notice.
- https://www.mega.gov.za returned a hostname certificate error, so we used mega.gov.za. Approval is never guaranteed and we do not broker or recommend any funder.
