South Africa’s global business services (GBS) sector presents significant opportunities for economic growth, job creation and youth skills development. This is according to the Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Mr John Steenhuisen, who was speaking at the official opening of Atain’s new GBS centre in the Cape Town CBD on Friday, 28 August 2026.
Atain is a global customer experience and business process management company that specialises in AI-driven services and digital technology platforms.
Steenhuisen declared that South Africa’s GBS sector was poised for further growth as Atain expands its South African footprint, and reaffirmed government’s commitment to working with investors to unlock the sector’s full potential.
“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. Atain has grown from a 50-person operation in 2022 and is now a significant employer in Cape Town with a workforce of approximately 1 500 people. That will soon grow to 2 100, supported by an investment of R70 million,” said Steenhuisen.
He further said that Atain’s investment demonstrated strong investor confidence and endorsement of South Africa as a destination of choice for GBS.
“We welcome the investment and commit to unlocking further growth in the GBS sector,” he added.
Furthermore, Steenhuisen said the investment also demonstrated the importance of putting people at the centre of business growth, as Atain provides employees with a range of benefits, including incentive schemes, medical cover, funeral benefits and door-to-door transport, supporting the creation of a motivated and productive workforce.
The company’s investment in skills development is further demonstrated through the Atain Academy, which focuses on impact sourcing and deliberately recruits young people from disadvantaged and high-risk communities. More than 350 learners have already received training through the academy, creating a pipeline of skilled talent while providing young South Africans with pathways into sustainable employment.
Steenhuisen said the GBS sector was significant as artificial intelligence and other technologies transform the global world, and South Africa is well positioned to benefit from this growth, supported by its 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 that can be leveraged to grow businesses within the sector,” said Steenhuisen.
While underscoring the importance of investment promotion, Steenhuisen said that the Atain investment also demonstrated the impact of sustained investment promotion efforts by the South African High Commission in India and InvestSA, which is part of the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic). He stressed that both played an active role in pursuing and facilitating the investment, supported by investment promotion engagements, business case development and inward investment initiatives.
In addition, Steenhuisen said as the global economy undergoes rapid technological transformation, Atain’s business model, which combines artificial intelligence with human expertise, demonstrates how South African companies can position themselves to deliver globally competitive services.
“We are here to listen and to use our position within government to co-ordinate other relevant departments, to understand the obstacles and barriers, and to work together to move them out of the way so that we can open up a superhighway of growth, development and opportunity,” said Steenhuisen.
He concluded: “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. InvestSA stands ready to support Atain’s next phase of growth and to work with the broader GBS sector to unlock further investment, employment and skills development opportunities across South Africa.”
Atain’s Chief Human Resources Officer, Amir Bharwani said. “South Africa is a strategic hub for Atain and an important part of our global growth story. 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.”
The Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Mr John Steenhuisen with Atain’s Senior Vice President South Africa, Ms Shavone Dajee and the Chief Human Resources Officer, Mr Amir Bharwani cutting the ribbon to mark the official opening of the Atain’s new centre in Cape Town.
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Issued by: The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic)
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