Satyam to boost presence in SA

NEW DELHI, INDIA: In a bid to tap the potential market in South Africa, Satyam Computer Services Ltd has announced its plans to churn 75 per cent year-on-year revenue growth from the country.

“With South Africa constituting more than 60 per cent of the IT market of African continent and a 20 per cent annual growth in the IT spends, the country offers tremendous business opportunities. Supplementing this is the local manpower pool which can be honed into talented software professionals with Satyam's training.”

“Given the potential, both in terms of business and human capital, we have set an aggressive target of 75 per cent YoY revenue growth and we will invest heavily in further developing the local human capital through various skill enablement initiatives. In the next two to three years, we plan to achieve a leadership position in South Africa amongst our Indian peers,” said Virender Aggarwal, director and senior vice president, Satyam APAC and MENA.

The company is banking on a sizeable number of contracts emanating from South Africa in the coming years and sees potential in providing IT solutions to the Banking and Financial, Energy and Utilities and Government sectors, Satyam said in a statement on Tuesday.

As part of its global strategy, the company has also recruited and trained 50 South African technical graduates in the last one year. The first batch of 20 has been successfully deployed in projects in South Africa.

Essentially an employment and skilled enablement program supporting the RSA's BEEC, the company plans to hire almost 200 more local technical graduates, train them in India and brings them back to South Africa to associate with various customer projects.

Sehloho Francis Moloi, high commissioner for South Africa to India, aid, “Our country requires an economy that can meet the needs of all our people and their enterprises - in a sustainable manner. This will only be possible if our economy builds on the full potential of all persons and communities across the length and breadth of our country.”

“Additionally, South Africa as a market is under serviced and I am glad that a global IT giant like Satyam has partnered with us to associate with the country's inclusive strategy of growth and development and serve the economy in a meaningful way. Partnering with Satyam and other companies will also contribute to the development of the kind of skills that South Africa needs in order to sustain the current economic growth that we are enjoying, especially the 6 per cent growth we have envisaged in our economic outlook," Moloi added.

Currently, Satyam serves six of the largest firms in the country, employs over 120 technical resources at customer locations and has offices in Johannesburg and Cape Town.