The first challenge for Calling the Cape's new CEO, Sipho Zungu, is to address the leadership gap at the organisation since the departure of Luke Mills five months ago.
Zungu assumed his new role yesterday. He says once this short-term objective has been addressed, he will focus on a longer-term issue of ensuring Calling the Cape lives up to its mandate of supporting its members and other stakeholders who have an interest in the industry.
"Luke left a sound structure in place and that is why Calling the Cape could continue as it is without a CEO for some time. However, there are issues to be addressed and those will be," he says.
Zungu, a Bond University MBA graduate, has worked for Old Mutual for the past seven years. He was manager of its corporate call centre cluster, which included the call centre for the financial service giant's Fairburn Capital, which takes care of its high net worth individual clients.
Creating employment
His involvement in Calling the Cape began three years ago after he was appointed as a director on a voluntary basis and two years ago he was appointed as non-executive chairman.
The call centre industry has been a major employment boon for the Western Cape, with the number of direct jobs rising to 22 500 from 11 000 three years ago.
Calling the Cape, which is a largely public funded body, facilitated direct investment in the Western Cape of more than R500 million between 2003 and mid-2007.
The national importance of call centres to the economy can be judged by the fact that government wants the sector to create 25 000 direct jobs and 75 000 indirect jobs by 2009.
Zungu says there is more to business process outsourcing than call centres, but it will take time to explore these opportunities.
"We also need to encourage flagship projects, such as the establishment of Teletech's [the giant US-based call centre operator] operations that are due to be launched in October."
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