The launch of the R200-million CCI Call Centres building in Umhlanga took place on 30 January 2015. Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies was one of the speakers at the launch.
Brand South Africa reporter
The expansion of skills remains vital to the support offered by the South African government to investors, says Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies.
Davies, who was joined by King Goodwill Zwelithini, was speaking at the launch of the R200-million CCI Call Centres building in Umhlanga, KwaZulu-Natal, on 30 January.
His ministry’s partnership with private sector companies like CCI illustrated the government’s commitment to work closely with all companies to create an enabling environment to attract investors.
The R200-million investment in the building, which will house more than 200 employees, demonstrated a commitment by CCI Call Centres to the South African business process services (BPS) sector. The company benefited from the department’s BPS incentive, which aimed to attract investment and create employment in South Africa through offshoring activities.
CCI Call Centres set up its operations in the country in 2005 and has grown from 50 seats to over 3 000 seats operating from Umhlanga. The group has also participated in the Monyetla Work Readiness Programme, which prepares people who are under 35 and previously unemployed for the workplace through training and development.
Mark Chana, CCI managing director, said support from the South African government through the BPS incentive had made the South African value proposition cost competitive when bidding for international contracts against other offshore destinations such as the Philippines.
Davies said the business process outsourcing/business process services (BPO/BPS) incentive had been hugely successful in terms of meeting the department’s objectives. Over 9 000 jobs had been created and the sector was key for attracting investment and creating new jobs, especially in the 18- to 35-year-old age groups, where job creation was most needed.
King Zwelithini encouraged CCI Call Centres management to also consider setting up offices in rural areas, other provinces and other Southern African Development Community countries. He called on those who would be employed at the call centre to take their work seriously as it was not a right but an opportunity and privilege.
CCI Call Centres is an international call centre group that provides outsourced customer contact services. It specialises in the operation of outbound, inbound and blended multi-channel contact centres. Some of the UK’s leading brands, primarily in the mobile, technology, telecommunications and financial industry sectors, are supported by CCI from the 2 000-seat purpose-built contact centre and head office in La Lucia, Durban.
The company has over 4 000 permanent employees and has three fully functional sites in South Africa, with the capacity to grow to 5 000 seats.
Source: South African Government News Agency
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