Subscribe
Daily DispatchDaily Dispatch
Subscribe

Planned East London development zone park could create up to 2,400 additional shifts by 2028

Surging business services sector adds 1,612 EC jobs

Provincial workforce climbs to 5,323 as international operators accelerate hiring beyond major metros

3 min read

The Eastern Cape’s global business services sector experienced a significant surge in 2025, adding 1,612 net jobs to bring its total provincial workforce to 5,323. This marks a sharp acceleration from the previous year's modest gains, driven largely by international operators expanding their presence in the region.

While growth remains heavily concentrated in Nelson Mandela Bay, provincial authorities are setting their sights on broader expansion. With plans under way for a dedicated business process outsourcing facility in the East London Industrial Development Zone and an increasing focus on impact sourcing, the province aims to turn Tier II and Tier III locations into competitive hubs for global investment.

SummaryOpen the quick read
  • The Eastern Cape added 1,612 net global business services jobs in 2025, accelerating sharply from 251 in 2024 and lifting the sector's provincial workforce to 5,323.
  • Growth was primarily driven by international operators Teleperformance, Outworx, and Interact Contact Centres, with activity largely concentrated in Nelson Mandela Bay.
  • A planned business process outsourcing park at the East London Industrial Development Zone could accommodate up to 2,400 jobs across three shifts by March 2028, though tenants have yet to be secured.
  • The sector plans to expand into high-value professional services such as legal, accounting, and human resources roles to create graduate opportunities.
  • Under national BPESA guidelines, the industry is targeting at least 33% of new hires through impact sourcing to support young job seekers aged 18 to 35.
Flying the Eastern Cape flag at the 2026 edition of the global Business Process Enabling SA conference, hosted in Cape Town this week, are Dedeat MEC Nonkqubela Pieters and her team, as well as key partners from the EC Development Corporation and EL Industrial Development Zone. The conference brings together international investors and top industry innovators in the field from the UK, US, and Australia.
Flying the Eastern Cape flag at the 2026 edition of the global Business Process Enabling SA conference, hosted in Cape Town this week, are Dedeat MEC Nonkqubela Pieters and her team, as well as key partners from the EC Development Corporation and EL Industrial Development Zone. The conference brings together international investors and top industry innovators in the field from the UK, US, and Australia. Picture: Picture: SUPPLIED

The Eastern Cape’s global business services industry recorded net employment growth of 1,612 jobs in 2025, taking the sector’s total provincial workforce to 5,323, according to figures supplied by the provincial government.

The increase marks a sharp acceleration from the 251 jobs added in 2024 and strengthens the province’s position as a growing destination for business process outsourcing and related services.

The figures were provided by the provincial department of economic development, environmental affairs and tourism (Dedeat), as the province promoted its business services offering at the Business Process Enabling South Africa (BPESA) conference in Cape Town on November 10 and 11.

BPESA is the official national trade body and industry association for SA's Global Business Services (GBS) and Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) sector, which includes contact centers, digital services, and shared services.

Its primary mandate is to promote job creation, attract foreign direct investment, develop skills, and build a sustainable offshore business services industry in South Africa.

The growth was driven significantly by three international operators — Teleperformance, Outworx and Interact Contact Centres — according to DEDEAT spokesperson Ncedo Lisani.

But the industry remains geographically concentrated. Nelson Mandela Bay accounts for the bulk of the international operators, with three based in the metro, while Buffalo City’s business services activity is predominantly focused on the domestic market.

That imbalance is one of the opportunities facing the province as it seeks to expand the sector beyond its established centres and attract more international investment.

A major part of that ambition is the planned business process outsourcing park at the East London Industrial Development Zone (ELIDZ). The facility is designed to accommodate 800 workstations and is expected to be completed in March 2028.

No tenants have yet been secured for the development, Lisani said. However, operating the facility across three shifts a day could create in the region of 2,400 jobs in Buffalo City.

That figure represents potential employment capacity rather than jobs committed by companies. The extent to which the facility contributes to the metro’s economy will depend on attracting operators and securing the work to fill those shifts.

The provincial government is positioning the Eastern Cape as a competitive alternative to South Africa’s established business-services centres, with smaller cities seen as potential locations for further growth.

The industry’s ambitions also extend beyond traditional contact-centre work. Lisani said professional services roles in areas such as legal services, accounting and human resources could emerge over the coming quarters, potentially creating opportunities for graduates.

The sector is also seeking to widen access to employment.

Through the national BPESA body, it is working towards sourcing at least 33% of its workforce through impact sourcing — an approach aimed at bringing young people who would not ordinarily have access to these opportunities into the industry through training and development.

The stated focus is on creating permanent and sustainable employment for young people aged between 18 and 35.

However, the provincial government has not provided a breakdown of the current workforce between permanent and temporary positions, or salary ranges for the jobs created.

The latest figures give the province a stronger base from which to pursue its 2030 ambitions. Nationally, BPESA has set a target of 500,000 global business services jobs by the end of the decade.

For the Eastern Cape, the challenge will be to turn its existing growth into a broader investment footprint — particularly in Buffalo City — and ensure that the jobs associated with new facilities translate into sustained employment for local residents.

Click here to join our WhatsApp channel and get the latest news delivered straight to your phone

Daily Dispatch