Louis Toute, Managing Director of Westcon-Comstor Southern Africa.
Westcon-ComstoreA global technology distributor specializing in cyber security, networking and hybrid cloud solutions, today announced that it has once again achieved a Level One Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) rating, reaffirming the company's long-term commitment to driving transformation, inclusive economic participation and sustainable growth in South Africa's technology sector.
South Africa's ICT sector is facing a deep talent crisis – the share of companies reporting a shortage of ICT specialists has more than doubled in two years, from 10% to 22%, according to Xpatweb's 2025. Critical Skills SurveyOrganized in collaboration with the Ministry of Home Affairs and Department of Higher Education and Training.
For Westcon-Comstor, a company deeply committed to growing and developing local ICT talent, these figures make its continued Level One status even more meaningful. It reflects a long-term commitment to driving change in how businesses operate, develop talent, grow their partner ecosystem and contribute to local economic growth.
“For us, transformation has never been a once-a-year exercise or a scorecard discussion,” said Louis Toute, managing director of Westcon-Comstor Southern Africa. “It is part of how we build our business, how we engage our partners and how we create opportunities across the wider ICT ecosystem. Maintaining our Level One status for many years is important as it demonstrates sustainability, accountability and long-term commitment.”
Local investment drives change
A central part of Westcon-Comstore's strategy focuses on empowering partners through enablement, skills development, access to market opportunities and business development support. This includes supporting both established partners and emerging black-owned ICT businesses as they scale in a highly competitive market.
Westcon-Comstor also continues to prioritize supplier and enterprise development through procurement practices that support qualified small enterprises (QSEs), exempted micro enterprises (EMEs) and empowered local suppliers. By building sustainable supplier relationships, the company aims to contribute to strong local economic participation and resilience. This commitment extends beyond the supply chain, as the company also supports community development initiatives aimed at creating broader social and economic opportunities in the areas where it operates.
Along with supplier development, skill development remains a major focus area for the organization. The company continues to invest in training initiatives, learning programs and ongoing employee development to help build future-ready skills in line with the evolving demands of the ICT sector.
The ICT skills shortage in South Africa is widely recognized as one of the sector's most urgent challenges 84% Large organizations are struggling to recruit skilled professionals and demand for cloud, cybersecurity and AI talent is exceeding supply.
“We believe that meaningful change must ultimately translate into real opportunities for people,” Toute said. “This includes creating pathways into the ICT industry, investing in skills development and helping individuals build long-term careers in the technology sector.”
The company says that investment will continue in the future
Toute concluded, “South Africa's ICT sector cannot afford for change to remain a compliance conversation.” “The skills gap is real, the demand is urgent and the onus falls on organizations like ours to build a pipeline that creates sustainable opportunities. This is what our Level One status reflects, and it is the work we want to keep doing.”
Looking ahead, the company says it will continue to focus on enabling partners, supporting local suppliers, investing in skills development and pursuing initiatives that contribute positively to the communities and industries it serves.