The CDC has a dedicated SMME Development Unit which facilitates programmes related to the development and support of SMMEs. As an empowerment-driven organisation, the CDC is conscious of the power of the small business sector in terms of job creation and its contribution to economic development in the province and country as a whole.

The CDC has pursued a number of initiatives which prioritise empowerment, unlock opportunity and talent and stimulate the local economy – particularly in the infrastructure, construction and built environment sectors. The CDC has made major headway in creating empowerment opportunities derived from the contracts awarded by the CDC, based on the empowerment criteria of:  

•     Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE);
•     Women Empowerment Ownership (WEO);
•     Small Medium Micro Enterprises (SMMEs); and
•     Local Empowerment Participation (LEP)

While the B-BBEE Scorecard does not specify women empowerment as a major criterion for empowerment status, the CDC considers it critical to monitor and report on this empowerment area.

Coega has seen its corporate target for SMMEs rise from 30% to 35% and later to 46,17%, ensuring there is meaningful involvement and participation of SMMEs in all 80 81 contracts that are awarded by the CDC. Further, the CDC has unbundled its big contracts into smaller packages to open up opportunities for smaller contractors. The SMME Unit works closely with units across the organisation to achieve this objective. Furthermore, the CDC has created a pool of pre-qualified contractors to expedite service delivery.

The CDC has also established and will maintain a compulsory benchmark of 35% SMME participation for all CDC projects and compliance will be monitored closely.


 B-BBEE

The CDC’s commitment to transformation has also seen the launch and execution for Coega’s BEESIP (BEE Scorecard Improvement Programme) which assists 100% black-owned and black woman-owned enterprises to improve their B-BBEE status levels. Over the past two years, 600 black companies have benefitted from this programme and obtained a Level 1 B-BBEE Certificate. An outcome is that the CDC now has a valid and active pool of 600 Level 1 black-owned companies it can tap into for a range of services. With a Level 1 status, the SMMEs are able to compete against bigger, better-resourced and more established companies when bidding for public and private sector contracts, boosting their chances of getting work. 


For more information on CDC’s SMME Programme, please contact:

Email: [email protected]
Telephone: +27 41 403 0400 / 086 102 6345
Fax: +27 41 403 0401