Calling all SA-UK SMEs: Join the Home Grown Futures campaign

Are you a South African-owned SME running a business in the UK and employing South Africans back home?

If so, we need you.

We’re launching Home Grown Futures – an ambitious campaign to create in excess of 500 quality jobs for South Africans in 2026.

And we’re calling on businesses like yours to be part of this movement.

Why This Matters

You’ve built a bridge between two countries. Your business operates in the UK, but your heart – and your workforce – remains connected to South Africa. You already understand the value of South African talent: the work ethic, the skills, the innovation.

But together, we can do more.

South Africa faces significant unemployment challenges, particularly among young professionals and skilled workers.

Meanwhile, you have the infrastructure, the market access, and the capability to create meaningful opportunities. Home Grown Futures is about harnessing that potential collectively.

A Personal Perspective

As a South African living abroad who has employed over 100 South Africans in South Africa, I’ve witnessed firsthand the hunger for opportunity back home.

In July this year, it was confirmed that over one million South Africans applied for 5 500 police trainee positions, with more than 300 000 applicants being university graduates.

Think about that for a moment – these aren’t jobs at Google or Amazon in California. These are police trainee positions, and university graduates are competing fiercely for them.

South Africans want to work. They’re qualified, they’re motivated, and they’re ready. We, as business owners operating from abroad, have both the means and the responsibility to get involved – and to do so in an accountable, transparent way. That’s what Home Grown Futures is all about.

What Home Grown Futures Represents

Investing in Local Talent
“Home Grown” isn’t just a name – it’s a commitment. By employing South Africans in South Africa, you’re investing in the country’s human capital, keeping families together, and building expertise on home soil.

Long-Term Commitment
“Futures” signals that this isn’t about short-term contracts or gig work. It’s about sustainable career development, skills transfer, and creating pathways for professional growth.

Community Responsibility
As South African business owners abroad, you’re uniquely positioned to contribute to SA’s economic growth whilst running successful UK operations. This is about showing that success abroad can fuel opportunity at home.

The Goal: 500 Jobs in 2026

Whether you employ two people or 20, every role counts. From software developers to customer service specialists, digital marketers to finance professionals – if you can do it remotely, you can be part of Home Grown Futures.

Join the Movement

If you’re a South African-owned SME operating in the UK and employing (or willing to employ) South Africans in South Africa, we want to hear from you.

Together, let’s prove that distance doesn’t diminish responsibility – and that South African businesses can be a force for good on both sides of the world.

Ready to be part of Home Grown Futures?

Email us at info@sapeople.com to express your interest.

Transparency and Accountability

Each person employed through Home Grown Futures will be tracked and published on SA People with their first name, job title, start date, and location in South Africa.

This is not about PR but real purpose, real jobs and real people.

We’re building a public record of tangible impact – because every name on that list represents a family supported, a career launched, and a contribution to South Africa’s future.

Founding Members Leading the Way

The Home Grown Futures campaign is already gaining momentum with forward-thinking businesses committed to making a difference.

Founding members include:

• Bluegrass Digital led by Nick Durrant
• ClickTrain led by Andrew Bloch
• The Sales Centre led by Terence Witten

These businesses are proving that commercial success and social responsibility go hand in hand – and they’re inviting you to join them in creating opportunity back home.

“Since its launch, we’ve placed seven South African Performance Marketers into UK-based companies in 2025, earning an average salary of R58 667 each, and managing ad spend amounts between $1 million and $3 million.

“In 2026, we plan to expand this to 24 additional dedicated roles, while intentionally introducing junior positions to nurture the next generation of talent.

“Our focus remains on training, empowering, and retaining world-class South African talent at home,” said Andrew Bloch, CEO of ClickTrain.