Who really powers Cape Town’s call centre boom?

For years, I’ve been asked the same question: who exactly is benefiting from Cape Town’s booming call centre industry? Today, I finally have an answer, and the story it tells is both powerful and deeply personal to me as someone committed to creating real opportunities for Capetonians.

When people see our city’s call centres, in the CBD, Woodstock, Century City or Athlone, they often think of office buildings and glossy commercial hubs. But behind those doors, thousands of residents from communities like Mitchells Plain, Khayelitsha, Langa and Athlone are powering the industry.

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Our data, compiled through CapeBPO, the City-funded special purpose vehicle, shows Mitchells Plain accounts for 16.3% of the workforce in international BPO (business process outsourcing) centres, Khayelitsha 15.3%, Langa 7.5%, and other communities like Hanover Park, Delft and Elsies River also making a significant contribution.

In total, roughly 100 000 Capetonians are employed in this sector, 70 000 servicing international clients and another 30 000 in domestic call centres.

Seeing these numbers has reinforced something I’ve long believed: the benefits of this industry extend far beyond the office parks where these operations are based.

These are jobs that reach into communities across our metro, bringing meaningful income, stability, and opportunity to people who need it most.

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Over the past decade, my team and I have worked deliberately to grow the BPO sector, not just as an economic driver, but as a key pathway to work for young Capetonians.

We’ve focused on three things: attracting global operators, building a strong skills pipeline through targeted training, and positioning Cape Town as one of the world’s leading destinations for BPO investment.

Global companies continue to choose Cape Town for its English-speaking workforce, favourable time zone, and robust telecoms infrastructure.

What also makes our city increasingly competitive in this space is the work we’ve done to help set up dedicated BPO training and requirement programmes, ensuring our workforce is equipped with the right skills, resources, and future-facing capabilities, including for an AI-driven world of work.

The impact goes beyond the numbers. When a call centre opens, it changes a neighbourhood. Foot traffic increases, restaurants and shops open, public transport routes become busier. These centres become catalysts for broader economic activity and local place-making.

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As we look to the future, I am asking a new question: if so many workers are commuting from Mitchells Plain, Khayelitsha and Athlone into established commercial hubs, should we not bring more jobs closer to where people live? This is now part of our conversation as we explore aligning future investment with the city’s economic geography, places like Mitchells Plain, Athlone and Bellville are very much part of that thinking.

What excites me most is what this industry represents: a connection between global demand and local talent. It shows what’s possible when the world recognises the potential in our communities and our people.

For me, it’s proof that Cape Town can grow inclusively, create opportunity at scale, and harness global trends, from international investment to AI-driven work, to benefit everyday Capetonians.

The call centre boom is more than just phones ringing in offices. It’s about connecting the world with the people who live here, and ensuring that Cape Town’s growth is a growth that reaches everyone. That is the mission I will continue to drive.

James Vos, mayoral committee member for economic growth, City of Cape Town.

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