Originally published in Private Capital Magazine – Elevate 2025, this article was authored by Tomi Amosun (Managing Partner) and Nthabiseng Thema (Partner and Lead for Private Equity Investments) at Summit Africa. It explores how private equity can be leveraged to support the objectives of South Africa’s National Development Plan (2030) through strategic portfolio construction.

The authors provide a real-world example of Summit Private Equity Fund I’s investment in Custom Capital Finance (CCF), which enabled CCF to significantly expand its lending programs to support small, medium, and micro enterprises (SMMEs). Since 2022, CCF has advanced an aggregate of R695 million to assist 10,265 SMMEs, with 4,859 new SMMEs receiving funding in 2024 alone. Success stories like those of Buletsa Trading CC and Ithuba Umsundu Security demonstrate that by improving access to funding, SMMEs can thrive, create jobs, and contribute to a more inclusive and resilient economy.