Under B-BBEE, small South African businesses fall into one of two friendly categories: EME or QSE. The difference comes down to turnover — and it changes what you have to do to prove your B-BBEE status.
EME — Exempt Micro Enterprise
An EME has annual turnover under R10 million. EMEs get the easiest treatment:
- Automatically Level 4
- Level 2 if 51%+ black-owned
- Level 1 if 100% black-owned
- Only needs a sworn affidavit — no verification, no cost
QSE — Qualifying Small Enterprise
A QSE has turnover between R10 million and R50 million:
- If 51%+ black-owned, it can use an affidavit to claim Level 2 (or Level 1 at 100%) — just like an EME.
- If less than 51% black-owned, it must be measured on the QSE scorecard by a verification agency.
The quick difference
| EME | QSE | |
|---|---|---|
| Turnover | Under R10m | R10m – R50m |
| Affidavit enough? | Always | Only if 51%+ black-owned |
| Scorecard needed? | Never | If under 51% black-owned |
Above R50 million
Businesses over R50m turnover are "generic" (large) enterprises and must be fully verified on the scorecard — they're neither EME nor QSE.
Which one are you?
It's driven entirely by turnover and ownership. Check instantly with our B-BBEE level checker, and see how to get your B-BBEE affidavit for free.
Because these thresholds hinge on turnover — the same figure that drives VAT registration and tax — it pays to always know your number. 360books tracks your turnover in real time so you're never caught out by a threshold.