Financial services firm 27four and the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (dtic) have reaffirmed their shared commitment to unlocking South Africa’s full economic potential through the Transformation Fund.

27four hosted a meeting on August 8 that was attended by Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau, National Empowerment Fund (NEF) CEO Mzi Dayimane and dtic Transformation and Competition deputy director-general Susan Mangole.

The Transformation Fund is a collaborative initiative between the dtic, the NEF and key industry partners. Its aim is 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.

Through targeted funding and strategic partnerships, the Transformation Fund aims to dismantle historical barriers to entry, enable greater participation in value chains and position black-owned businesses at the forefront of South Africa’s economic growth story.

At the event, 27four reaffirmed its commitment to support the Transformation Fund and highlighted the alignment between its investment philosophy and South Africa’s transformation imperatives.

“We believe transformation is not a tick-box exercise, but the foundation for a stronger, more resilient economy. 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,” said 27four MD Faitma Vawda.

Tau, meanwhile, emphasised that partnerships of this nature were 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,” he said.

“The Transformation Fund is a vehicle for tangible change and today’s engagement signals our mutual commitment to driving it forward,” the Minister said.

“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,” said Dayimane.

Partnership is the lever that will translate policy into progress, and the dtic and 27four reiterated their determination to deepen collaboration in implementing the Transformation Fund, with a focus on measurable impact, scalable projects and sustained economic transformation, the organisations said.