More than 50 companies, representing 150 000 employees in South Africa, are using business software firm Sage’s human resources and employee self service offering ‘VIP People’.

This is according to Anton van Heerden, managing director of Sage VIP, speaking at an event in Cape Town on Friday.

In February this year, Sage announced the launch of its VIP People offering in Johannesburg.

The offering is a turnkey payroll, human resources and employee self service product aimed at a wide array of businesses, with specific emphasis on large companies.

Despite being officially launched in February this year, company officials say the product has been in place for the past two years in pilot programs across over 50 companies.

Clients include the likes of clothing retailer Mr Price and motor group McCarthy.

“VIP People has definitely been the most ambitious project in our history and we have spent close to 130 million rand on developing the product and continue to invest in it. We are very excited about it. I believe it is a revolutionary human resources system for South Africa and Africa,” said van Heerden, managing director of Sage VIP.

Sage VIP officials say they are also looking to roll-out their VIP People product across Africa in 2014.