SMEs and national
development:
the role of banking
The National Development Plan (NDP)
gives an important role to banking in
the development of SMEs. How are
banks contributing to this vital sector?
S
outh African banks have faced a stream of criticism
for apparently not doing enough to extend financial
services support to Small and Medium Enterprises
(SMEs).
‘It is of concern that South Africa’s banks do not
extend sufficient credit to businesses, especially smaller firms,’
Chapter Three of the NDP policy document starkly puts it.
Discussions in public forums around the financing of SMEs have
risen following the crafting of the NDP and the strong focus on it in
President Zuma’s State of th