June 20, 2006
By Ndaba Dlamini
A PROVINCIAL government contact centre set to create 150 job opportunities for Alexandra and the immediate surrounds has been officially launched by Gauteng premier, Mbhazima Shilowa in Wynberg, north of Johannesburg.
The premier also took the opportunity on Monday, 19 June to announce the introduction of a single telephone number to be used by the public to access information about the Gauteng government through the contact centre - 0860 GAUTENG.
Shilowa said the 150-seat Wynberg centre will enhance the capacity of the Gauteng Shared Service Centre (GSSC), which currently receives an overwhelming 300 000 calls every month from the public.
Earlier this year, the provincial government undertook to expand the GSSC centre from 150 seats to 600 seats by July 2006, beginning with the Wynberg contact centre.
"We are gathered here today to witness the fulfilment of that commitment. We remain on course to launch a further two 150-seat centres in Sedibeng and the West Rand before the end of the year," Shilowa said.
He said the expansion of the contact centre's capacity will enable the province to address a growing demand from the public and at the same time deal with challenges such as the drivers' licence booking system.
Gauteng premier Mbhazima Shilowa and MEC for finance and economic affairs, Paul Mashatile, open the Wynberg contact centre
Also in attendance at the launch were MEC for health Brian Hlongwa and MEC for finance and economic affairs, Paul Mashatile. Mashatile said the opening of the Wynberg contact centre heralded the creation of a
call centre hub in the province.
"The Wynberg centre currently has 35 employees and we have a challenge to train more people to fill the 150 seats of the call centre. International call centre companies are also beginning to locate themselves in South Africa and we have to supply skills to these centres."
The easy-to-remember single number, 0860 GAUTENG, will enable Gauteng residents to get easy access to government information, said Shilowa. This will include Bana Pele information on how to access a package of services to benefit the province's poorest children, including social grants, health care, education and other social services.
The introduction of the single number will also reduce by half the cost of calling the provincial government, said Shilowa. "Previously members of the public calling us had to bear the full cost of the call."
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