Microsoft has opened a regional office in Umhlanga, citing the move as part of the software giant's plans of driving its business into eThekwini.
Microsoft local managing director, Mteto Nyati, says: “Quite simply, the amount of business we do down here, and the number of partner companies we have, is growing at such a rate that we could no longer continue to service the city from a smaller local office or our headquarters up in Johannesburg.”
Skills development
Nyati points out that Microsoft is increasing its presence in the region and by doing this, would enable the company to step up its social and skills development programmes in the city.
“By increasing our presence in this city, we have no doubt that we'll be even better positioned to serve the economic and social development needs of local business, government and the broader community,” said Nyati.
Microsoft is currently working with non-government organisation, the Development House, to train 40 destitute people in a basic digital literacy training course. More than half of these people are employed in Durban's burgeoning local call centre companies, BizWorks and Ignition.
Last year, Microsoft partnered with the QuadPara Association of SA to establish a technology centre in Pinetown. Since it opened its doors, more than 150 disabled people have become computer literate.
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