South Africa wins BPO award

26th April 2013 By: Natasha Odendaal - Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor

Two recent awards have put South Africa on the business process outsourcing (BPO) destination map, making it likely that the country will attract increasing investment in the years to come.

South Africa was, this week, presented with the European Outsourcing Association (EOA) Offshoring Destination of the Year Award, shortly after winning the National Outsourcing Association (NOA) UK Offshoring Destination of the Year Award late last year.

“In the past, South Africa has often flown under the radar as a BPO destination, but on the back of the EOA and NOA awards, and through the continued investment from global operators, I believe we will see an influx of new investment in 2013 and beyond,” said Department of Trade and Industry investment promotion and facilitation chief director Yunus Hoosen.

The BPO and offshoring market in South Africa, which accounted for about 18 500 jobs, had historically serviced the UK market with ease, owing to cultural and language similarities, said BPO investment agency BPeSA interim CEO Gareth Pritchard.

This latest award, he pointed out, highlighted South Africa’s ability to provide BPO services in a number of other languages.

“This, combined with a growing base of high-end skills in financial and legal services, has highlighted the country's status as a world-class offshoring location,” he said.

European country companies currently serviced from South Africa included England, Germany, France, the Netherlands and Switzerland.