Lesley Stones

Information Technology Editor

UP TO 100 000 new jobs could be created in the outsourcing market if government, industry and labour make a concerted effort to polish SA’s international image, says a McKinsey survey issued yesterday.

So many foreign companies are outsourcing business processes or placing call centres offshore that SA has a golden opportunity to grab a slice of the market.

But government must provide tax incentives, unions must allow workers to run round-the-clock centres, and the private sector must fund heavy investment in training, say analysts at McKinsey.

If that happens, the sector could attract $90m to $175m in foreign investment and boost economic growth, the report says.

Research highlighting the huge potential for SA to win foreign outsourcing deals is nothing new.

The difference this time is that the report will be used by the Business Trust, a body dedicated to job creation, to draft a blueprint to turn opportunities into firm action.

“SA has an extraordinary opportunity for 100 000 more people to be employed over the next five years,” said Business Trust CE Brian Whittaker.

A blueprint being prepared for the trade and industry department would propose tax incentives and programmes for training matriculants, and pressure had to be applied for telecoms costs to fall.

SA’s competitive advantage lay in handling processes for the financial services market, Whittaker said.