Investment manager 27four, the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic) and key partners have announced the Transformation Fund, which aims to serve as a catalytic vehicle to finance black-owned and black-managed enterprises, with a focus on priority sectors that can deliver sustained job creation, industrialisation and competitiveness.
“We believe transformation is not a tick-box exercise – it is the foundation for a stronger, more resilient economy,” says Faitma Vawda, MD of 27four. “The Transformation Fund is a powerful mechanism to ensure capital flows to where it is needed most: into the hands of talented entrepreneurs and industrialists who can create jobs, build industries, and expand opportunity. We are proud to partner with the dtic and the NEF in making this vision a reality.”
Parks Tau, minister of trade, industry and competition, says partnerships of this nature are essential for the country’s growth trajectory. “Government cannot achieve transformation alone. It is through collaboration with forward-thinking investment managers like 27four that we can deepen industrial capacity, unlock innovation, and ensure economic growth is shared by all South Africans. The Transformation Fund is a vehicle for tangible change, and today’s engagement signals our mutual commitment to driving it forward.”
NEF’s CEO Mzi Dayimane adds: “South Africa’s economic renewal depends on our ability to back black industrialists and entrepreneurs with the funding, networks, and market access they need to thrive. With 27four’s expertise and the dtic’s policy leadership, we are better positioned than ever to accelerate inclusive economic growth.”