SA contact centres are going Dutch

July 5, 2004

South Africa is set to become a preferred destination for Dutch companies wanting to outsource their customer contact centres, says Michel Arends, Cape representative of the SA Netherlands Chamber of Commerce (Sanec) and managing director of the Communication and Contact Centre Training Institute (CCTI).

There are already two contact centres in Cape Town serving the Netherlands, and the province has set a target of 1 500 new Dutch-language jobs by the end of 2007, says Arends.

This is thanks to an innovative language programme being run by the CCTI at the University of the Western Cape, in partnership with Sanec, the government, promotional agency CallingtheCape, and the Dutch call centre People2Contact.

The CCTI has already successfully trained 19 previously unemployed South Africans to speak and understand Dutch. Another 12 students recently signed up and have started their full-time three month course.

The classes are small - one teacher for each four students - and conducted entirely in Dutch and students also learn as much as possible about Dutch culture.

The CCTI plans to train 500 students by the end of 2005 so it will take about 20 new students every month.

Contact CCTI director of training, language and development, Karin Benjamin van Lierop on 021 959 2371 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or People2Contact on 021 910 7300.

This article was originally published on page 3 of The Cape Times on July 05, 2004

Publisher: Cape Times
Source: Business Report