International trade
For those business enterprises seeking to export products from South Africa, Trade & Investment KwaZulu-Natal is geared to assist.
Companies attempting to secure assistance in penetrating the export market are able to access a range of Government programmes
which offer support at levels previously unavailable to the business community. Such support ranges from financial grants to the
subsidy of plant and manufacturing facilities, and extends to the facilitation of business processes.
These services are offered by the National Government to South African companies which are approaching export
readiness and are generally delivered by way of provincial agents, inclusive of Trade & Investment KwaZulu-Natal in KwaZulu-Natal.
Prospective exporters are afforded assistance and support, such as:
- Company registration. Trade & Investment KwaZulu-Natal assists in identifying the type of registration required, supplies application forms and provides guidance with regard to document completion and advice about lodging applications and monitoring registration progress;
- Customs procedures, ensuring an understanding of customs tariff classification of goods for export;
- Export registration and processes. Where applicable, Trade & Investment KwaZulu-Natal will facilitate export permit requirements, as well as F178 - banking requirements;
- Access to incentives for which they qualify;
- Details about international trading protocols, such as Inco terms; and
- Specialist advice provided by consultants with strategic experience in exporting.
Details of various export facilitation services, such as logistics, are also made available.
In order to expose South African operators and their products and services to the global business community,
Trade & Investment KwaZulu-Natal regularly leads outgoing trade missions for the benefit of potential exporters.
Advisory Services
Trade & Investment KwaZulu-Natal's Export Advisory Services and Support for existing and emerging KwaZulu-Natal exporters include:
- Introductions to Government and private sector contacts;
- Tariff implications for certain products;
- Trade agreement compliance requirements;
- Information about the suitability of products and services;
- Identification of potential business partners and customers;
- Identification of domestic suppliers of products and services;
- Information about the export supply chain;
- Export registration process;
- Access to available and applicable KwaZulu-Natal and National Department of Trade & Industry export incentives;
- Product and market analyses;
- Mentorship; and
- Competitiveness improvement.
Financial Assistance - Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment
The purpose of Export Promotion Assistance scheme is to facilitate financial assistance for the benefit of
KwaZulu-Natal traders in respect of business activities designed to develop export markets for KwaZulu-Natal-produced products and services.
Financial assistance, is, however, limited to sectors contained in the Regional Industrial Development Strategy (RIDS). For further information with
regard to qualifying terms and conditions, please contact Trade & Investment KwaZulu-Natal's Export Development and Promotion Unit, or send an
enquiry to info@tikzn.co.za
Export Incentives
- Government objectives in providing incentives usually include the following:
- To raise fixed investment in industries
- Restructure domestic industry towards international competitiveness
- Promote sustainability of recipient projects
- Create wealth, generate employment
- Reduce investment costs for small and medium investors
Small and Medium Enterprise Development Programme (SMEDP)
SMEDP is a grant paid to local and foreign investors, starting up new or expanding current projects, based on approved
qualifying assets and activities. The maximum qualifying investment is R100 million per entity. Assistance is rendered to
new and expansion projects. The Investment grant is for two years on qualifying assets. An additional one year (year three)
investment grant for the human resource intensity can be provided.
It has given the tourism industry a major boost in the form of a lucrative cash-based, tax-free incentive
benefit designed to generate employment and create opportunities for the introduction of new and advanced skills.
The programme aims to encourage the establishment of new projects and the expansion of existing ones, by subsidising
the cost of the investment, training and of transporting equipment from abroad.