Evaluation of four development funds in the agricultural sector in South Africa.

The Competition Commission of South Africa (CCSA) is a statutory body established to regulate competition in the country. It is responsible for investigating and evaluating restrictive business practices, abuse of dominant positions, mergers, and conducting market inquiries. CCSA also engages in advocacy to promote equity and efficiency in the South African economy. As a public entity, CCSA operates in compliance with the Public Finance Management Act and the Constitution of South Africa. Currently, CCSA seeks a qualified service provider to conduct a telephonic survey to assess the impact of four development funds it created between 2015 and 2020 in the agricultural sector. Mthente was appointed by the CCSA to conduct a micro-assessment, determining the impact of four development funds created by the Commission between 2015 and 2020 in the agricultural sector in South Africa. Working with a database of over 1000 beneficiary contacts, Mthente carried out a telephonic survey to assess the impact of the funds. In addition to the quantitative findings, Mthente conducted in-depth interviews with selected beneficiaries to develop insightful stories of change, highlighting the impact that the funds had on the lives of these beneficiaries.