The global business services sector is one of the fastest growing sectors in SA and a priority sector for government.
South Africa’s global business services (GBS) sector shows no signs of slowing down, adding 8 180 net new international jobs from April to June.
The resulted in $131 million (R2.3 billion) contributed to the country’s export revenue, during this period.
This is based on insights from non-profit organisation Business Process Enabling South Africa’s (BPESA’s) quarterly GBS Sector Job Creation Report, released ahead of the GBS and BPO Investor Conference in Durban.
The report covers the first quarter of the financial year 2025/2026 (April to June 2025). It reviews international jobs and export services, including growth in the GBS sector across provinces, vertical industries, youth jobs, inclusive hires and key global source markets.
National industry body BPESA’s report shows youth jobs accounted for 90% of new hires in the period, with the Western Cape still in the lead. The results show the coastal province added 4 119 new jobs, accounting for 50.35% of the total of new jobs recorded during the period.
KwaZulu-Natal followed with 2 434 jobs (29.76%), maintaining strong momentum in global delivery growth, notes BPESA.
In third place was the Eastern Cape, which BPESA says achieved a record-breaking quarter, creating 900 (11%) new international jobs – the highest number ever recorded for the province. Gauteng maintained steady job creation, with 727 jobs (8.89%) contributed.
“I want to congratulate all sector participants for their consistent contribution to the country’s economic growth, and to youth employment. The GBS sector is a South African success story,” says BPESA CEO Reshni Singh.
The GBS sector, formerly classified as business process outsourcing, was identified several years ago as a key growth driver to create jobs, with a particular focus on youth and women.
Youth employment figures reveal the headcount is consistent with previous quarters, with young people (aged between 18 and 34) consisting of 7 366 workers (90%).
Fifty percent of the new youth workers are based in the Western Cape (3 709), followed by KZN at 29.8% (2 192), with the Eastern Cape and Gauteng at 11% (810) and 8.5% (655) new youth jobs, respectively.
Most positions (71%) were frontline, voice-based contact centre roles, servicing sectors such as utilities and energy (26.86%), insurance (22.75%) and retail and e-commerce (20.61%), according to BPESA.
Looking at the workforce that services international markets, the US and the UK remain SA’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, such as Canada, China, Japan and the United Arab Emirates, which contribute 11.35% collectively, while Australia contributes 6.56%, and Europe 5.41%.
When looking at the period between March 2019 and June 2025, 49.1% of globally-focused workers service the UK and 34% service the US. Australia (6.9%), other countries (3.9%), other African countries (3.6%), and Europe (2.5%) also account for workers who service international markets from SA.
