Motupa Enterprises 
But these numbers tell a far bigger story, one of grit, growth and the power of possibility. Behind every rand is an entrepreneur with a vision or a determined innovator working to improve South Africa’s future. Through targeted funding and business support, the SAB Foundation helps transform these ambitions into viable, growing enterprises that create jobs, drive innovation, and contribute meaningfully to South Africa’s development.
At a Glance: SAB Foundation Impact Since 2015
- R688 million invested in support of 7,409 small businesses and rural enterprises.
- 21,407 jobs created and sustained and over 85,000 livelihoods impacted.
- R409 million in grant funding, R214 million in business support and R45 million in interest-free loans.
- Combined annual turnover of supported businesses grew 119%, from R951 million to over R2 billion.
- 6 million invested in 186 social innovations across education, health, energy, agriculture and recycling
- 75% of all beneficiaries are women and youth.
As South Africa marks Youth Month, we are reminded that the future lies in the hands of its young people. The SAB Foundation is determined to help unlock that potential, especially among those historically excluded from the mainstream economy, including women and people with disabilities. Its support goes beyond funding: it offers mentorship, capacity building and long-term guidance to help entrepreneurs grow sustainably.
SAB Foundation
Real People. Real Impact.
The Foundation’s impact is best reflected in the journeys of its entrepreneurs.
Take Lungelo Gumede, who co-founded Excel@Uni after dropping out of university due to a lack of support. With early-stage support from the Foundation, his idea grew into a national student support network now employing 21 people.
Or Mapha Logistics, a township-based delivery and e-commerce service that scaled from just four employees to 50, with revenue increasing 13-fold following SAB Foundation backing.
Then there’s Spoon Money, a micro-lending cooperative inspired by traditional stokvels, which has distributed over 16,000 loans impacting 1,700 women running informal businesses.
And Green Arch Innovations, a sustainable aquaculture enterprise that grew from 11 to 25 employees and has positively impacted 45,000 households.
These stories are not exceptions, they are part of a broader movement in which entrepreneurship serves as both a survival strategy and a powerful engine for inclusive growth.
Motupa Enterprises
Responding to South Africa’s Realities
With unemployment still a national crisis, sitting at 32.9% in Q1 of 2025, and youth unemployment among the highest in the world, the need for meaningful, inclusive economic development has never been more urgent.
The SAB Foundation’s work directly responds to this reality. Its programmes are designed to uplift rural and underserved communities, where the success of one entrepreneur can sustain multiple families. By intentionally supporting underrepresented groups, the Foundation is expanding access to opportunity and helping to close systemic gaps in participation and prosperity.
This people-first, long-term approach is an extension of SAB’s enduring legacy of nation-building, one rooted in empowerment, resilience and shared value.
As we celebrate SAB’s 130th year, the Foundation stands as a living expression of the company’s mission: to grow South Africa from the ground up. By backing small businesses and innovators, especially in the spaces where support is needed most, the SAB Foundation is helping ensure that South Africa’s future is not only built, but built to last. DM