Another large call centre dials up in Cape Town

The City of Cape Town this week welcomed international business process outsourcing (BPO) firm TP Group (formerly Teleperformance), as it opened its newest call centre in the Mother City.

In a statement, the city says the new call centre will be able to host 3 500 staff, with the firm setting a target of employing 10 000 locally-based staff by the end of next year.

TP, which is considered one of the biggest BPO companies globally, already has 6 000 employees in SA, with 5 500 based in Cape Town.

Alderman James Vos, mayoral committee member for economic opportunities and asset management, welcomed TP founder and CEO Daniel Julien to Cape Town.

“As a city government, we proudly welcome companies such as TP to our shores. Together with our special purpose vehicle, CapeBPO, we have worked consistently to attract investments in this sector, while simultaneously growing the skills base to meet increased demand.

“TP is one of the businesses that has worked closely with CapeBPO to train operators, many of whom have gone on to be full-time employees in the company,” says Vos.

The BPO sector, also known as global business services, has grown in leaps and bounds in SA, and credited for providing employment opportunities for youth and women.

In Cape Town, nearly 100 000 people work in call centres, serving domestic and international clients. The industry poured R23 billion into Cape Town’s economy by the end of 2024, says the city.

According to CapeBPO CEO Clayton Williams, Julien’s visit to Cape Town marked a milestone for the city’s BPO sector.

“As the founder and CEO of TP, his presence underscores the Western Cape’s growing prominence in the global outsourcing landscape. TP’s rapid expansion in the region reflects the confidence international operators have in our local talent and operating environment.

“It reinforces the sector’s potential to drive inclusive economic growth and further position Cape Town as a leading offshore delivery destination.”

Vos notes Cape Town is in demand as an internationally sought-after location for BPO businesses and investors, earning its place as the number one offshore destination in Africa.

“We’ve done this by building more than just a business case – we’ve built an ecosystem for industry growth. This is evidenced by the fact that not only has Teleperformance just opened another major call centre in the city, but the company’s leadership is also visiting Cape Town to seek out more sites to grow their base here even more.”