Top 10 South African Companies to Work For in 2023

The best workplaces to build a successful career and grow professionally in South Africa include local and international leading organizations in such spheres as financial services, banking, accounting and auditing, according to the 2023 LinkedIn Top Companies rankings.

The rankings feature the 25 best places to work in South Africa, with companies ranked based on their performance in providing growth opportunities for their employees. The methodology uses LinkedIn data to assess businesses based on eight pillars of career advancement: ability to advance, skill growth, company stability, external opportunities, company affinity, gender diversity, educational background, and employee presence in the country.

In general, the rankings evaluate how employees progress both within a company and when they leave, how they develop creative and professional skills during their employment, and which companies do a better job of helping people advance in their careers.

Here are the ten leading companies in South Africa that provide better career opportunities for their employees, according to the annual LinkedIn Top Companies rankings:

The Absa Group is a South African banking and financial services conglomerate based in Johannesburg. The company offers personal and business banking, credit cards, corporate and investment banking, wealth and investment management, as well as insurance products.

The conglomerate comprises Absa Bank Limited and other subsidiaries that operate in more than ten countries across the continent, including Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, and Mozambique. It also has international offices in London and New York City.

Ernst & Young Global Limited is a multinational professional services partnership headquartered in London, England. The company has a representative office in South Africa in Sandton, Johannesburg. One of the Big Four accounting firms in the world offers such services as auditing, tax consulting, transaction, strategy expertise, technology and security risk.

First National Bank (FNB) is one of South Africa's biggest banks. It is a division of FirstRand, a large financial services conglomerate, licensed by the Reserve Bank of South Africa, the national banking regulator. FNB offers a great range of financial services such as lending, financing, investment, insurance, and payment services. Notable skills sought after by the bank include software testing and commercial banking.

KPMG (Klynveld Peat Marwick Goerdeler) is one of the world's largest professional services networks and one of the Big Four accounting firms. The international headquarters is located in Amstelveen, the Netherlands. The company provides three types of services: audit, tax and consulting services.

Sasol Limited is a South African mining, energy, chemicals and synthetic fuels company, based in Sandton, a commercial and residential district north of the city of Johannesburg. In particular, the company is engaged in the production of diesel fuel and liquefied gas.

In the 2022 list of the largest companies in the world, Forbes Global 2000, Sasol was ranked 973rd (807th in revenue, 1604th in net profit, 1314th in assets and 1123rd in market capitalization).

According to the rankings, professionals skilled in such fields as oil & gas, chemical processing, and fluid mechanics are highly sought after at Sasol.

Mukuru is one of the largest money transfer providers in Southern Africa, offering remittance services within the continent and beyond. The company offers career opportunities in technology, operations, and finance. Top sought-after skills include software testing, development tools, and Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC).

MTN Group Limited is a South African multinational mobile communications company operating in over 19 markets across Africa and the Middle East. The company's head office is located in Johannesburg. In 2020, MTN became the 7th largest mobile operator in the world and the largest in Africa, with an overall number of subscribers exceeding 280 million. Almost a third of its revenue comes from Nigeria, where it occupies about 35% of the market.

Sanlam is a South African financial services group headquartered in Bellville, Western Cape. It is one of the largest insurance companies in Africa. It is listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and Namibia Stock Exchange. The company provides a range of insurance, investment, and wealth management services.

Discovery Limited is a South African financial services group listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange with headquarters in Sandton. It offers a portfolio of products in healthcare, life insurance, short-term insurance, savings, investments, and banking. The company recruits specialists in health insurance, data analysis, and actuarial science.

Investec is an Anglo-South African international banking and wealth management group. It provides a range of financial products and services, including insurance, investment, and asset management solutions. The company operates in South Africa, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region.