Summary
South Africa's outsourcing sector, which includes financial services and call centers, is growing quickly and contributing significantly to the economy. This growth is driven by factors such as cost savings and the availability of skilled, English-speaking workers. The sector now supports tens of thousands of jobs and generates billions of rand annually.
Key Facts
- South Africa's outsourcing sector includes services like accountancy support and call centers.
- The sector contributes approximately 35 billion rand (about $2 billion) to the South African economy each year.
- Factors like lower salaries compared to the UK, strong English skills, and a small time zone difference make South Africa an attractive outsourcing destination.
- South Africa's unemployment rate is about 33%, which is very high, making the outsourcing jobs valuable for local workers.
- Around 70,000 people work in outsourcing jobs in the Cape region of South Africa.
- The Western Cape government supports this sector with training programs, helping about 4,500 people yearly, with 80% securing full-time jobs.
- UK companies, such as Cooper Parry, have outsourced work to South African firms during tough times like the Covid-19 pandemic.
- Outsourcing in South Africa includes many areas like financial services, IT, and digital marketing.
