{
  "id": 19644200,
  "title": "GBS sector stands firm amid jobs crunch, AI wave",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/12/gbs-sector-stands-firm-amid-jobs-crunch-ai-wave",
  "topic": "ai",
  "section": "AI",
  "published": "2026-11-12T11:09:14.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "ITWeb",
    "slug": "itweb",
    "url": "https://www.itweb.co.za/article/gbs-sector-stands-firm-amid-jobs-crunch-ai-wave/O2rQGMAE1VoMd1ea"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "During South Africa's 2025/26 financial year, global business services (GBS) maintained stability despite a turbulent labour market, adding 26,346 offshore jobs. According to Business Process Enabling South Africa (BPESA), the industry's performance marks its best result since 2018, with 90% of the jobs occupied by young people and generating over $422 million in export revenue. South Africa's unemployment rate surged to 33.7% in Q3 2026, with 8.6 million individuals unemployed, but the GBS sector, historically known as business process outsourcing (BPO), continued to create jobs instead of eliminating them. BPESA CEO Reshni Singh emphasized the need to move beyond traditional strengths and develop future-ready skills, including empathy, judgement, and complex problem-solving. As AI's disruptive impact grows, Singh urged the industry to integrate technological innovation with human qualities. BPESA's newly-elected chairman, Crispin Sonn, echoed Singh's sentiments, highlighting the decision-makers' role in determining AI's application and limitations. The Mother City, home to South Africa's BPO industry, now employs more than 100,000 people, with approximately 70,000 in international-facing roles. The BPO sector added 11,496 new jobs during the 2025/26 financial year and created 44,803 net new international-facing jobs over the city's five-year municipal term. South Africa's key offshore market remains the UK, with 60% of the workforce serving UK clients, followed by the US, Australia, and other European regions.",
  "summary": "South Africa’s global business services created 26 346 jobs in the 2025/26 financial year, amid a labour market in the doldrums.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}