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South Africa as a centre of excellence
As organisations continue to rethink how and where work is delivered, South Africa has emerged as a location that offers both operational strength and meaningful social impact. For Huntswood, it has become an increasingly important part of how we help clients build resilient, scalable and people‑centred operations. Our presence in South Africa sits alongside our established capabilities in India, creating a diverse network of delivery centres that balance quality, cost efficiency and long‑term sustainability.
The growth of the South African business services sector over the past decade has been significant, and our own journey reflects that momentum. In under two years, we have moved from 500 colleagues in a single Durban site to more than 2,500 colleagues across five offices in Durban and Cape Town. This scale has been driven by client demand, but also by the availability of highly capable talent and a strong local commitment to service quality.
South Africa continues to demonstrate its strength in regulated and customer‑facing work. The talent base is well suited to roles in customer servicing, contact centre operations, claims handling, fraud prevention, collections and multi‑channel sales and renewals. The sector’s maturity and alignment with UK standards creates an operating environment where complex, regulated work can be delivered with confidence.
What differentiates the South Africa proposition
Rather than viewing South Africa purely through an operational lens, it is increasingly recognised as a location that brings together capability, governance and people experience.
Key strengths include:
- a mature Centre of Excellence model
- a track record of supporting major financial services and insurance organisations
- local teams aligned with UK governance frameworks
- an employee value proposition that prioritises development, culture and long‑term retention
With operations in both Durban and Cape Town, there is built‑in resilience and flexibility. Workloads can be balanced across locations, ensuring continuity and scalability for clients navigating fluctuating demand.
Why Durban continues to stand out
Durban has built a reputation for strong service delivery, underpinned by:
- a deep pool of frontline B2C and B2B talent
- widespread adoption of ISO‑based security, compliance and quality frameworks
- a people‑centric culture that shapes employee experience
- high levels of empathy and communication clarity
- a labour force of 3.6 million people aged 18 to 35a rapidly expanding impact sourcing ecosystem
Why Cape Town is a strategic complement
Cape Town offers a different but equally compelling profile, particularly when it comes to skills and innovation:
- a highly educated talent pool with strong annual graduate pipelines
- a well‑established digital and technology ecosystem
- the largest contact centre hub in the country
- a labour market of 2.1 million people aged 18 to 35 an established and mature impact sourcing network
The combination of Durban’s operational strength and Cape Town’s talent and digital capability creates a balanced delivery model that supports both scale and complexity.
Looking ahead
As organisations continue to navigate economic pressure, regulatory change and rising customer expectations, South Africa offers a reliable and future‑focused solution. The region provides a blend of capability, resilience and social value that aligns well with the priorities of modern financial services and insurance firms.
For Huntswood, the focus remains on building environments where colleagues can thrive and where clients can access high‑quality, sustainable operations. South Africa will continue to play a central role in how we support organisations to evolve their models and deliver better outcomes for their customers and communities.