Hundreds of new jobs are to be created in and around Paarl following the opening of a new office and contact centre by one of the country’s leading offshore Global Business Services (GBS) companies.
Sigma Connected, which offers ‘white label’ contact centre services to UK clients across a variety of sectors including energy and financial services, has opened the new facility in the Drakenstein Municipality as it looks to create 250 new jobs in phase one, rising to 1,000 roles in the coming years.
The office, chosen for its easy transport links and accessibility for local people, will open in January with some advisor, support and management positions already filled.
Justus Fourie, Country Manager for Sigma Connected Group said: “Our success story in South Africa is well known, but our move into Paarl represents another exciting chapter in our expansion.
“We are keen to tap into a new pool of talent that’s available in Paarl, and bring jobs directly into the local community and surrounding areas where there has been historic high unemployment. The location, only 45 minutes from Cape Town, means less of a commute for people in the area and the feedback so far has been exceptional as they are excited to be part of a rapidly growing business and industry.
“We’re extremely proud to be creating 250 new jobs in the initial phase, but we are confident this will grow to around 1,000 roles in the coming years as we take on more clients who want to partner with us.
“We have a successful business model providing complex customer service, collections and complaint support to a variety of industries in the UK, and we want to build on that and not stand still. Bringing jobs to areas like Paarl is important to us as we continue to positively impact people’s lives, underpin local economies, and offer real, lasting career opportunities.”
The expansion into Paarl is part of Sigma Connected’s growth across Western Cape, where it already employs 3,500 people in the Cape Town areas of Diep River, Woodstock, Retreat
and Mitchells Plain. The company became the first GBS to open in a previously disadvantaged area when it unveiled its office in Mitchells Plain in 2022.
Mr Fourie added; “Any candidates who are successful in applying for the roles will be taken through a full training and development programme. We are not only looking for experienced people but also people with the right attitude and keen to develop themselves and their careers with us.”
