AMANDLA aims to expand township BPO model after Jabulani, Alexandra
- AMANDLA Social Enterprises has Safe Hub centers in Jabulani and Alexandra.
- Merchants is an operating partner in the township BPO initiative.
- AMANDLA identifies buildings, helps secure investment and provides facilities management.
- AMANDLA reports no disruption from community unrest since its first Jabulani center.
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA — AMANDLA Social Enterprises is pitching its township Safe Hub network as a base for commercially viable business process outsourcing, building on centers in Jabulani and Alexandra and aiming to expand through more partnerships. The model puts the operation itself inside the community where its workers live.
Jobs inside the township
AMANDLA set out how the network can support BPO operations in township communities, The National reported on Oct. 15. The approach targets barriers such as transport costs, lengthy commutes and limited access to suitable workplaces.
“Recruiting from our communities is not new; the industry has always done it. What makes this model different is that the operation itself sits inside the community,” said Phillip Dürner, director of innovation, digital and new ventures at AMANDLA.
From Jabulani to Alexandra
The network has grown from a first center in Jabulani to a second in the area and an operation in Alexandra. AMANDLA identifies suitable buildings, helps secure investment for construction and set-up, and provides ongoing facilities management.
AMANDLA says the operations have experienced no disruption caused by community unrest since the first Jabulani center opened. OA reported in November 2024 that Merchants had launched a township call center in Alexandra with AMANDLA and the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA), aiming to create over 250 jobs.
The operating partner’s view
“Our partnership with AMANDLA has demonstrated what becomes possible when employment opportunities are intentionally brought closer to the communities where talent lives,” said Mathew Conn, chief revenue officer at Merchants, an operating partner in the initiative.
Safe Hub alumna Philisiwe joined the program while already working in a call center and later took a job with Merchants, where she has now worked for a year. “I can walk to work, which has helped me save a lot of money,” she said.
Who pays for it
The commercial partnerships generate income to help sustain Safe Hub operations, reducing reliance on grants and donations. For BPO companies, the model is pitched as offering multilingual talent and support for clients’ environmental, social and governance (ESG) objectives.
“This really is a model where everybody wins,” Dürner said.
What it means for buyers
For companies running call center work in South Africa, township sites add a delivery option close to where agents live. AMANDLA pitches that as a way around the transport costs and long commutes township workers face.
Buyers comparing business process outsourcing (BPO) partners can ask where a provider’s staff are based, and can start with the top BPO companies worldwide list.
Related news
- Cape Town graduates 500 young people from its BPO skills program · 7 Oct 2026
- South Africa’s BPO sector to miss 500,000-job target: BPESA · 6 Oct 2026
- South Africa’s GBS sector bets on impact sourcing · 24 Jul 2026
Disclosure: Outsource Accelerator uses AI tools in the backend of its editorial workflow. Every article is reviewed and verified by a human editor before publication.
Stay ahead of the outsourcing industry. Join thousands of business leaders who rely on Outsource Accelerator for the news, trends, and expert insights that matter. Subscribe to our free newsletter and never miss an update.
