This week, the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth, Alderman James Vos concluded a roadshow with winners of the CapeBPO Awards, which celebrates the individuals and companies that have helped Cape Town become a global hub for the business process outsourcing (call centre) industry. Alderman Vos was joined by portfolio committee members and ward councillors.

The awards are hosted by CapeBPO, the City’s growth partner in the call centre industry.

‘South Africa has, for the second consecutive year, been voted the “most favoured offshore CX delivery location” in the Ryan Strategic Advisory global survey. The Cape is a big reason for that as 65% of the BPO market in South Africa operates from here. We are proud to showcase and celebrate the achievements of all of those across the city who have helped bring us to this point,’ said Alderman Vos.

The roadshow saw Alderman Vos visit Boomerang Marketing SA, EXL Service, Merchants Dimension Data, and Teleperformance. It also included a stop at the new Sigma Connected centre in Mitchells Plain, which will create 1 000 job opportunities.

‘Sigma, a major international player in the industry, has given a ringing endorsement to Mitchells Plain and greater Cape Town with this new site. It is also proof of our success as a City in funding investment promotion and skills development,’ said Alderman Vos.

The City funds several skills development programmes, including the Cape Skills and Employment Accelerator project. Launched a year ago, the project has seen 1 400 unemployed and previously disadvantaged individuals trained for call centres. This is against a target of 1 100 people.

‘Through initiatives such as this and others, the City has helped generate over 5 000 new jobs in Cape Town’s call centre sector since July 2021. Around 70 000 people in Cape Town now service domestic and international clients. At the same time, we are promoting the metro’s investment potential in key source markets. Last year, the international BPO market in Cape Town contributed around R14 billion to the local economy.

‘The burst of opportunities within Cape Town’s BPO sector is evidence of what can happen through sustained investment in skills development and public-private partnerships. The City is proudly directing more funding towards the Cape Skills project so that more Capetonians can access those opportunities and see this economy reach new heights,’ said Alderman Vos.

Alderman Vos also acknowledged strategic partners in the Cape Skills project including the City’s Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) and Community Development Workers (CDW) programme, CapeBPO, Western Cape Provincial Government, National Skills Fund and the private sector stakeholders who play a pivotal role in absorbing young people through internship placements that ultimately lead to permanent jobs. The City has utilised its EPWP funding to support more than mass public employment initiatives and is supporting the placement of unemployed residents in sectors that provide jobs.

Source: City Of Cape Town