Latest BPESA GBS job creation report shows positive trends across most areas
- October 30, 2025
- 8,180 net new international* jobs; R2.3 billion (US$131 million) in export revenue
- Youth jobs accounted for 90% of new hires in the period
- Eastern Cape achieves record-breaking quarter
South Africa’s Global Business Services (GBS) Sector continues to buck the employment and business confidence trend, recording good job growth and strong export revenue for the period April to June 2025. The industry added 8,180 net new international jobs and contributed R2.3 billion (US$131 million) in export revenue during the period.
This is according to the latest GBS Sector Job Creation Report produced by BPESA*, the national industry body for the Global Business Services (GBS) and BPO Sector in South Africa.
“I want to congratulate all sector participants for their consistent contribution to the country’s economic growth, and to youth employment in particular. The GBS sector is a South African success story and one that we will be celebrating at BPESA’s GBS and BPO investor conference taking place in Durban next week,” says BPESA CEO Reshni Singh.
Report Highlights
The Western Cape led once again with 4,119 new jobs, accounting for 50.35% of the total. KwaZulu-Natal followed with 2,434 jobs (29.76%), maintaining strong momentum in global delivery growth.
The Eastern Cape achieved a record-breaking quarter, creating 900 new international jobs, the highest number ever recorded for the province - representing 11% of the total quarterly job creation. This milestone underscores the province’s growing role in South Africa’s expanding GBS landscape.
Gauteng contributed 727 jobs (8.89%), continuing to demonstrate steady job creation performance within the sector.
Consistent with previous quarters, youth workers (aged between 18 – 34 years of age) continued to make up the bulk of new hires in the quarter accounting for 90% of new jobs or 7,366 workers. These new youth workers are based in Western Cape (50.3% or 3,709), KwaZulu-Natal (29.8% or 2,192), Eastern Cape (11% with 810 new youth jobs), and Gauteng with (8.9% or 655 youth jobs).
Most positions (71%) were frontline, voice-based contact centre roles, addressing global demand in sectors such as Utilities & Energy (26.86%), Insurance (22.75%) and Retail & eCommerce (20.61%).
In terms of headcount, the US and the UK remain South Africa’s largest markets for outsourced services during the period, contributing 76.5% of new jobs collectively. Additional jobs logged in the quarter service other countries (Canada, China, Japan and the UAE contribute 11.35% collectively, while Australia contributes 6.56%, and Europe 5.41%).
The sector continues to prioritise skills development, with 26,534 workers trained between April and June 2025. As in previous quarters, many individuals participated in multiple training streams, including re-skilling and upskilling initiatives to prepare workers for evolving digital roles, regulatory and compliance training to support quality assurance and governance standards in destination markets, and leadership training and coaching.
The GBS and BPO sector will be under the spotlight at BPESA’s GBS and BPO investor conference taking place in Durban on 3-5 November. Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition Mr Zuko Godlimpi will deliver the keynote address at the gathering of local and international delegates. The annual conference is part of BPESA’s drive to champion South Africa as a premier destination for Global Business Services, working alongside Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic) InvestSA, Harambee and other government and industry stakeholders.
The 2025 BPESA GBS and BPO Conference has the support of Platinum Sponsor Rand Mutual Assurance (RMA), a trusted provider of workers' compensation and occupational injury insurance, playing a key role in protecting and supporting South Africa’s workforce and their families at work, at home and beyond the workplace.
*The GBS Sector Job Creation Report reviews international jobs and export services including growth in the global business services (GBS) sector across provinces, vertical industries, youth jobs, inclusive hires and key global source markets. To access the full report, click here.