What Is B-BBEE and What Level Is My Business?
Quick Answer
What Is B-BBEE and What Level Is My Business?
B-BBEE (Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment) scores how a business contributes to economic transformation. Businesses under R10 million turnover use a free sworn affidavit: 51%+ black-owned means Level 2, 100% black-owned means Level 1. Larger businesses need measured certificates.
What this means in plain language
Your B-BBEE level is a competitive weapon: government and corporates score suppliers on it, and a Level 1 or 2 small business beats a Level 8 giant on the empowerment line item.
The small-business shortcut is the EME affidavit: no verification agency, no cost – a sworn statement at a police station, valid 12 months. Only above R10 million turnover (QSE and generic) does formal verification start.
Who this applies to
- Any business supplying government or corporates
- Black-owned small businesses – your affidavit is free and powerful
Step by step
- Check your turnover: under R10 million makes you an EME.
- Download the standard EME affidavit template (DTIC or CSD versions accepted).
- Fill in ownership percentages and turnover.
- Swear and sign it before a Commissioner of Oaths (any police station).
- Renew every 12 months and attach it to CSD and tender submissions.
What it costs
| Item | Cost / detail |
|---|---|
| EME affidavit (under R10m turnover) | Free |
| QSE / generic verification | Verification agency fees apply |
Common mistakes to avoid
- Paying for a “B-BBEE certificate” when a free affidavit was all you needed.
- Letting the affidavit lapse – tenders reject expired documents.
- Overstating ownership percentages – false declarations are fraud.
A South African example
A 100% black-owned cleaning company in Umtata with R4 million turnover swears a free affidavit and becomes an automatic Level 1 – outscoring national competitors on empowerment in every tender it enters.
Related questions
- What Is the CSD (Central Supplier Database)?
- Tenders, B-BBEE and CSD: How to Win Government and Corporate Work
Always verify this information with official South African government sources. Rules, fees and thresholds change. Check SARS, CIPC, the Department of Employment and Labour or gov.za before you act.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a B-BBEE certificate for free?
If your annual turnover is under R10 million you do not buy a certificate – you sign a free sworn EME affidavit before a Commissioner of Oaths. 51%+ black-owned EMEs are Level 2; 100% black-owned are Level 1.
What B-BBEE level is a white-owned small business?
A non-black-owned EME (under R10 million turnover) is automatically Level 4 by affidavit – still a respectable procurement score without any verification cost.
Does B-BBEE apply if I never tender?
There is no general legal duty on small private businesses to hold a level. It matters commercially: customers, corporates and government increasingly ask for it in supplier applications.
Official sources
About BizAnswers: BizAnswers is a privately owned South African company – not a government department. Our guides are free to read and show you how to do things yourself through official channels. If you would rather have the paperwork handled for you, we assist individuals and businesses with filing their South African tax returns and staying compliant, which is a paid service, not a free government service. Contact us for help.
Last reviewed: September 2026 by the BizAnswers editorial team. How we write and check our guides.
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