Cape Town’s rise as a world-class hub for global business services has taken another confident step forward. Atain, a global customer experience and business process management company, has officially opened a new centre in the Cape Town CBD, and the numbers behind the ribbon-cutting tell a remarkable South African growth story.
The company started as a 50-person operation in 2022. Today it employs about 1 500 people in Cape Town, and that workforce is set to grow to 2 100, supported by an investment of R70 million.
A vote of confidence in South African talent
Speaking at the official opening, Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition John Steenhuisen said the global business services (GBS) sector presents significant opportunities for economic growth, job creation and youth skills development.
“I commend the leadership of Atain for their confidence in our country, and continued investment in our youth. Their vision for employment, skills development, and the advancement of young people into the digital economy is outstanding,” he said.
Steenhuisen said South Africa is well positioned to benefit as artificial intelligence transforms the global economy, thanks to the country’s time-zone advantages, multilingual capabilities, skilled workforce and established GBS ecosystem.
“Cape Town remains the heart of the GBS sector, but there are huge opportunities for greater expansion across the rest of the country, particularly into provinces where there are deep pools of untapped talent,” he said.
Building careers, not just call volumes
What sets the investment apart is its focus on people. Atain provides employees with incentive schemes, medical cover, funeral benefits and door-to-door transport. Through the Atain Academy, the company deliberately recruits young people from disadvantaged and high-risk communities, and more than 350 learners have already been trained, creating a pipeline of skilled talent and real pathways into sustainable employment.
“Atain is building more than a business centre. You are building futures. You are building the skills that South Africa so fundamentally needs and, most importantly, building opportunities for South Africans, particularly our youth,” Steenhuisen said.
The deal also showcases South African teamwork behind the scenes: the South African High Commission in India and InvestSA, part of the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition, both played an active role in pursuing and facilitating the investment.
“South Africa is a strategic hub”
Atain’s Chief Human Resources Officer, Amir Bharwani, said the company is committed to scaling up further. “We have built a strong presence in Cape Town on the strength of exceptional local talent, and we are committed to scaling our investment further. Our focus is to create meaningful careers, build future-ready skills, and deliver exceptional outcomes for our clients globally,” he said.
With government pledging to clear obstacles and open what Steenhuisen called “a superhighway of growth, development and opportunity”, Cape Town’s skyline is not the only thing on the up. Source: SAnews.gov.za
Photo: commons.wikimedia.org
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