ONLY the BEST
Only The Best is a Johannesburg-based white-collar staffing agency, operating since 1995 as a division of RecruitCo (Pty) Ltd, providing temporary, permanent, and contingency recruitment services across South Africa with Level 1 B-BBEE certification and a 13-branch delivery network.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1995
- HeadquartersJohannesburg, South Africa
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What ONLY the BEST does
Only The Best is a Johannesburg-headquartered staffing agency specializing in white-collar recruitment, operating as a division of RecruitCo (Pty) Ltd within the broader Workforce Group. Founded in 1995, the firm delivers Temporary Employment Services (TES) for contract and project-based assignments, permanent placement services on a placement-fee basis, and contingency recruitment for operations-interruption scenarios such as sudden vacancies or planned absences. Its target candidates are mid-to-senior professionals across Finance, Accounting, HR, Sales, Marketing, IT, and Administrative functions, and it serves both public- and private-sector clients in South Africa.
The company operates a branch-led delivery model through 7 fully operational branches and 6 satellite branches across South Africa, supported by parent-group access to satellite branches in Zambia, Mozambique, Botswana, Ghana, Angola, Namibia, Mauritius, Chile, and Glasgow. Account managers provide personalized, end-to-end recruitment with pre-screened candidates, and the firm maintains Level 1 B-BBEE certification — the highest tier under South Africa's Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment framework — which is a procurement prerequisite for many public-sector tenders. There is no proprietary technology platform disclosed; the service is delivered through human-driven account management rather than a differentiated software layer.
Revenue is generated through two primary streams: placement fees on successful permanent hires (transaction fee) and mark-up on candidate wages during temporary assignments (managed services). Reported operational scale includes approximately 80 assignees placed weekly. Pricing is quote-based and tailored to role complexity. The firm maintains a LinkedIn company page and Facebook presence, with lead generation driven primarily by direct sales and account-management relationships rather than digital marketing at scale.
ONLY the BEST firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ONLY the BEST
- Legal name
- Only the Best (a division of RecruitCo (Pty) Ltd)
- Website
- https://onlythebest.co.za
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1995
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Only The Best is a Johannesburg-based white-collar staffing agency, operating since 1995 as a division of RecruitCo (Pty) Ltd, providing temporary, permanent, and contingency recruitment services across South Africa with Level 1 B-BBEE certification and a 13-branch delivery network.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
ONLY the BEST industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Staffing & Recruitment Services
- NAICS
- Employment Placement Agencies (561311), Temporary Help Services (561320), Employment Placement Agencies and Executive Search Services (56131), Employment Services (5613)
- SIC
- Services-Employment Agencies (7361), Services-Help Supply Services (7363)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Multi-Site / Branch Network Staffing (BPACACAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- General Permanent Placement (Multi-Industry) (BPACAFAA), National Generalist Staffing Firms (BPACACAI), Government & Public Sector Direct Hire (BPACAFAK), High-Volume / High-Turnover Temp Staffing (BPACACAF)
Keywords
Where ONLY the BEST is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Johannesburg
- HQ country
- South Africa
- HQ region
- Africa
Offices2 records
Markets served
ONLY the BEST business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Permanent Placements: Fee-based permanent placement services matching white-collar candidates with client organizations for lasting success. Revenue generated through placement fees upon successful hire.
- Temporary Employment Services (TES): Temporary staffing services providing qualified candidates for contract and project-based roles. Revenue generated through mark-up on candidate wages during assignment periods.
- Contingency Recruitment: Rapid response recruitment to fill short-term gaps and unexpected vacancies. Pre-screened candidates provided for immediate deployment to minimize client downtime.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels3 records
ONLY the BEST product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ONLY the BEST is a South African staffing agency that supplies white-collar candidates to corporate clients via temporary employment services (TES), permanent placements, and contingency recruitment. The firm supports client hiring needs with a national footprint of seven full branches and six satellite branches, backed by its parent Workforce Group's administrative services.
Product overview
Only The Best is a white-collar recruitment agency operating as a single unified service offering. The company provides two interconnected core services: White-Collar Recruitment Services (Temporary Employment Services and Permanent Placements) and Contingency Recruitment (operations interruption contingencies). These services are delivered through a network of 7 fully operational branches and 6 satellite branches across South Africa, with the parent company being RecruitCo (Pty) Ltd.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- White-Collar Temporary Employment Services (TES) Contract and temporary staffing of white-collar candidates for South African employers, including placement, payroll administration, and assignment management.
- Permanent Placement Services Recruitment and placement of white-collar candidates into permanent roles with client companies across South Africa.
- Contingency Recruitment Success-based recruitment service where the agency is engaged to source white-collar candidates on a contingency basis, with fees payable upon successful placement.
Quantifiable outcome
- 80 assignees placed weekly
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use ONLY the BEST
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
ONLY the BEST technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
ONLY the BEST partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- RecruitCo (Pty) LtdcoreParent company providing organizational infrastructure and the first authentic Grey Collar staffing solutions to South Africa. Only The Best operates as a brand under RecruitCo's portfolio of staffing solutions.
- Workforce GroupcoreAs part of Workforce Group, Only The Best has access to satellite branches distributed throughout the African continent and across the globe. Provides global reach including South Africa, Zambia, Mozambique, Botswana, Ghana, Angola, Namibia, Mauritius, Chile, and Glasgow.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
ONLY the BEST competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Hays: Global white-collar recruitment specialist with strong presence across permanent, temporary, and contract placements in professional sectors. Overlaps directly with Only The Best's mid-to-senior white-collar offering.
- Randstad: Global staffing and HR services firm with strong white-collar recruitment capability (including its Randstad Professionals and RGF Staffing brands). Comparable service mix across permanent and temporary placements.
- Kelly Services: Global staffing firm with a strong white-collar and professional staffing segment offering permanent and temporary placements. Overlaps with Only The Best in target customer and service model.
- Adecco Group: Global generalist staffing firm providing permanent placement and temporary staffing across professional, clerical, and industrial categories. Comparable revenue model (transaction fees + wage mark-ups) and customer base.
- ManpowerGroup: Global staffing leader offering permanent, temporary, and workforce solutions across white-collar and broader segments. Operates in South Africa and competes for enterprise temporary staffing and direct-hire mandates.
- Robert Half: Global incumbent specializing in finance, accounting, technology, and administrative white-collar staffing and direct-hire placement. Operates in South Africa and competes for the same corporate buyer as Only The Best, though at a much larger scale and brand premium.
- Michael Page: Global professional recruitment firm placing mid-to-senior white-collar candidates across permanent and contract roles. Comparable on target segment and fee-based model; competes for the same SA corporate clients seeking skilled professionals.
Direct peers
- O'Brien Recruitment: South African recruitment firm offering permanent, contract, and temporary staffing across professional disciplines. Directly comparable in size, geographic focus, and customer profile to Only The Best.
- Network Recruitment: South Africa-based recruitment firm specializing in white-collar and IT/finance placements across permanent and contract engagements. Highly comparable on target candidate profile, customer base, and service mix.
- Adcorp Holdings: One of South Africa's largest listed staffing and workforce solutions groups, offering permanent, temporary, and contract placement across multiple occupational levels. Direct competitor to Only The Best in the domestic white-collar and generalist staffing market.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
ONLY the BEST social profiles
Digital presenceONLY the BEST compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
ONLY the BEST financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ONLY the BEST leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
ONLY the BEST funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ONLY the BEST M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about ONLY the BEST
What does ONLY the BEST do?
ONLY the BEST is a South African staffing agency that supplies white-collar candidates to corporate clients via temporary employment services (TES), permanent placements, and contingency recruitment. The firm supports client hiring needs with a national footprint of seven full branches and six satellite branches, backed by its parent Workforce Group's administrative services.
Is ONLY the BEST a public or private company?
ONLY the BEST is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was ONLY the BEST founded?
ONLY the BEST was founded in 1995. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is ONLY the BEST based?
ONLY the BEST is headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, in the Africa region.
How does ONLY the BEST make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Permanent Placements are the primary driver. The others are temporary Employment Services (TES) and contingency Recruitment.
Who are ONLY the BEST's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Hays, Randstad, Kelly Services, Adecco Group, ManpowerGroup, Robert Half and Michael Page. Direct peers are O'Brien Recruitment, Network Recruitment and Adcorp Holdings.
Does ONLY the BEST have an API?
No public API is recorded for ONLY the BEST.
What industry is ONLY the BEST in?
ONLY the BEST's product category is Staffing & Recruitment Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPACACAJ, Multi-Site / Branch Network Staffing, with a secondary code of BPACAFAA, General Permanent Placement (Multi-Industry). Its NAICS code is 561311 and its SIC code is 7361.