SA's superior Global Business Services sector could contribute 500 000 jobs by 2030 - BPESA
- March 18, 2025
South Africa's GBS sector is well-placed to attract new foreign direct investment says the industry association.
South Africa's Global Business Services (GBS) sector is well-placed to attract new foreign direct investment, according to the trade body Business Process Enabling South Africa (BPESA).
Based on its new statistics, this sector could drive export growth and contribute 500 000 cumulative jobs, particularly for youth, by 2030, says BPESA.
It reveals that the local GBS sector grew threefold in just five years, driven by a business-friendly environment, exceptional quality standards and continuous job creation.
"The refreshed value proposition is part of BPESA’s drive to champion South Africa as a premier destination for Global Business Services, working alongside the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (dtic), InvestSA, Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator, and other government and industry stakeholders."
Reshni Singh, CEO - Business Process Enabling SA
Stephen Grootes interviews BPESA CEO Reshni Singh on The Money Show.
Singh explains that while the GBS sector is predominantly voice-BPO (Business Process Outsourcing), which we generally know as contact centres, it covers other IT-enabled services that can be outsourced and offshored.
These include for instance finance and accounting services, legal services, digital and IT services.
Singh doesn't see the rapid expansion of technology as a big threat to jobs in the sector.
As much as there's technological enablement she says, citing buzzwords like AI and machine learning, there's still very much a need for human engagement and interaction.
"When you think of customer-based experience and customer service which we're all subject to on a daily basis, there's always a level of complexity that's required. There's also a level of human intervention that is needed to resolve your queries."
Reshni Singh, CEO - Business Process Enabling SA
"That is the reason why I don't see any major threat to the sector in the short term. I think we'd be able to skill our agents to be able to function amidst all of this innovation where they'd be easily able to transition between an AI that's giving primary support to a customer, and jumping into the problem-solving aspect of the query."
Reshni Singh, CEO - Business Process Enabling SA
Source: Prime Media Plus
