South Africa’s most trusted software development company

MyBroadband’s business technology survey revealed that Codehesion is South Africa’s most trusted software development company, followed by Synthesis and Derivco.

783 respondents completed the survey. Only responses from executives and managers who decide which ICT products their companies buy were considered.

As part of the survey, IT decision-makers were asked which South African software development company they would choose for a large business project.

Codehesion topped the rankings for the first time, which continues its rapid rise in South Africa’s software development market.

Codehesion was founded in 2017 by software architect and computer engineer Hector Beyers. It initially focussed on mobile app development.

The company expanded its operations to include a full suite of software development services, including code audits, augmentation services, and outsourced developers.

Codehesion has built a reputation for world-class software development with a team of highly skilled and experienced developers.

The latest software development rankings showed why Codehesion achieved exceptional growth over the last seven years.

Synthesis was the second most popular choice, with 21% of IT executives saying they would use them for a large software development project.

Synthesis was founded in 1997 by Jake Shepherd and Jack Cohen, who shared a passion for software development.

The company built exceptional skills in developing software for the financial sector. In 2006, Synthesis built its first Internet banking platform in South Africa.

In 2017, Capital Appreciation acquired Synthesis. In the same year, it became the first company in Africa to achieve AWS advanced consulting partner status.

Derivco ranked third, with 19% of IT executives saying they would use them for a large software development project.

Derivco increased its rating by three percentage points since the start of the year, which shows it is increasing its brand awareness among ICT decision-makers.

Derivco was founded in Durban in 1996 as part of the emerging online gaming industry. Since then, it has evolved into a prominent global technology and software development company.

The chart below shows South Africa’s preferred software development companies for large business projects.

Software development in South Africa

Offerzen’s 2024 State of the Software Developer Nation report showed that 2023 was a difficult year for the tech industry as it continued to weather a global economic downturn.

While South African software development companies have avoided the brunt of the effects, some still had to do layoffs.

“We’ve also started seeing local companies passing on the pressure to their remaining employees,” Offerzen co-founder Philip Joubert said.

He added that the balance of power in the tech job market has shifted in favour of companies.

“They’re starting to take back a lot of the control they gave up during the hottest-ever hiring market in 2021,” he said.

Salary band growth and annual increases have also slowed as companies no longer need to compete for the best talent.

Over the past 12 months, 17% of developers lost their fully remote status. This is despite over half of surveyed developers saying they’d leave if forced to return full-time.

“In this climate, it’s likely that many companies will continue to downgrade easy perks and conveniences to save money,” he said.

He added that companies must watch out for attrition as the market recovers. In the long term, all too drastic moves may undermine their employer brand.

For developers, it’s important to realise that applications to tech jobs have tripled in the past year. It’s now significantly harder to get interviews, and the interviews are harder to pass.