Zuko Mdwaba, Africa executive and South Africa country leader, Salesforce.

Global software firm Salesforce intends to create 31,800 new jobs and generate $5.1 billion in new business revenue in South Africa by 2026.

Salesforce presented its plan last week when it hosted the World Tour Essentials event at the Kyalami Convention Centre in Johannesburg.

The company said it is ‘steadfastly committed’ to helping solve South Africa’s key challenges – the digital skills gap and job creation.

South Africa's unemployment rate in the first quarter of 2023 was recorded at 32.9%, and is among the highest in the world, according to the Quarterly Labour Force Survey.

To stave off joblessness in the country, digital skills are being punted as a solution to reduce high unemployment rate and the government is looking up tech sector.

To this end, Salesforce announced its partnership with the Collective X, a private sector-led initiative aimed at addressing the massive gap between the oversupply of digital jobs and the undersupply of talent.

“It's a collective effort to equip our country's youth with the digital skills needed to radically increase employment and make a meaningful contribution to the economy. Salesforce believes business is a platform for change and that it is by coming together that we can do things differently.

“Collective X is one of the vehicles through which Salesforce is realising its commitment to fit-for-purpose skills and sustainable job creation in South Africa,” said Ursula Fear, senior talent programme manager at Salesforce South Africa.

Salesforce’s jobs plan comes on the back of the company’s growth in South Africa, 18 months after setting up a legal entity in the country.

Zuko Mdwaba, Africa executive and South Africa country leader, Salesforce, reported Salesforce growth in the country is ahead of the global average and is evident in the growing number of partners and certifications.

Partner certifications grew by 61% and partner certified individuals grew by 58%, as at the end of first quarter of financial year 2024. Meanwhile partners that hold certifications grew by 39%.

“It’s equally positive for the rest of Africa. Partner certifications for all of Africa grew by 60%, partner certified individuals by 57% and partners that hold certifications grew by 41%, as reported at the end of Q1 FY2,” he said.

According to Mdwaba, the growth was further evidenced at the event where 10 customers such as ABSA, Capitec, Clicks, HearX, MultiChoice, Namibia Brewery Limited, NetFlorist, Sasol, Standard Bank and The Invigilator, were represented.

At the event last week, Salesforce hosted more than 2,000 delegates from across the firm’s ecosystem.

In the numerous breakout sessions selected customers and partners shared their digital transformation projects and learnings, driven by Salesforce’s solutions.

Salesforce updated the delegates on its growth in the region and skills and talent programme.

Delegates at the event were also invited to give back at the event by packing 20,000 meal kits for Rise Against Hunger, an NPO working to eradicate childhood hunger in Southern Africa.