He was commenting following articles published by the EXPRESS which highlighted the number of complaints from residents against call centre agents at Joburg Connect.
Complaints included call centre agents not answering calls, dropping calls or not helping residents with their concerns.
The complaints that residents tried to report included leaking meters, street lights not working and posing a security threat, power outages, billing complaints and stolen water meters.
Clr Carlos Da Rocha, of ward 66, said the call centre is nothing but a “white elephant”.
The man, who said he is a call centre agent at Joburg Connect, did not want his name.
“The city decided to short-pay us on Sundays. Before, we would get double on a Sunday but now they have decided to pay us at a 0.5 rate. There was no communication whatsoever. We tried to get answers but our queries fell on deaf ears,” said the man.
He said this has had a negative impact on him and others financially.
“Our cars and houses will be repossessed. We have to take our children to different schools which are cheaper. This has made a difference of about R5 000 on our salaries,” he said.
The man added that working conditions are not good either. “You go to the toilets and there is no toilet paper. The contractor has terminated the contract because they were not paid for the past 12 months. As a call centre agent who has financial stress, how do I continue working hard and providing such a service to clients?” he asked.
Mr Kgamanyane Maphologela, the acting director of communications and stakeholder management, said the city has internal processes to deal with such staff matters.
“The matter in question is currently being handled in terms of the city’s formal grievance procedure, therefore it is our view that we cannot run another process separate from the one already mentioned.
“The call centre agent’s behaviour is regarded as an act, or omission on the part of an employee, which is a breach of any duty, obligation or assignment arising under, or flowing from, any law or contract of employment or service rules or standing orders, settlements or awards or improper conduct or wrongful behaviour.
“It is considered a gross misconduct. Any continued habitual neglect of work or habitual negligence to answer calls from customers or wilful insubordination or disobedience of any lawful and reasonable order from superiors to assist customers, and also disclosing to any unauthorised person any information in regard to the processes of the city, is considered major misconduct,” he said.
He added that major penalties may be imposed on any call centre agent who may be found guilty of dereliction of duty or unlawful or improper behaviour.
In response to residents’ complaints about the lack of service they receive from call centre agents, Mr Maphologela previously stated that the call centre was established to assist customers and log calls for queries to be handled in a professional and orderly manner.
He said the call centre is not the only channel capable of logging a query with the CoJ. He said customers can use customer service centres, and visit www.joburg.org.za, the city’s website.
At the time, Clr Da Rocha said residents who received no joy from the call centre resorted to calling him.
Mr Maphologela urged customers not to involve their councillors but to log queries themselves to obtain a reference number that could be used in future follow-ups.
According to him, if there is a third party involved, queries are not properly logged on their system and it could take ages to resolve because of the lack of a reference number.
In response to Mr Maphologela’s statement urging residents not to involve their councillors, a Kensington resident, who did not want her name published, last week said, “My son was so frustrated that he eventually involved our local councillor. The people at the call centre are not helpful and most of them are rude,” she said.
She said she spent nearly a whole day at Thuso House in Braamfontein in June.
“There was a so-called director who had security personnel remove anyone who argued with him. I was told that we were in credit and was shown the entry on the computer, however, this was not the case when we received the account. It is no good sending letters by fax or e-mail because they are ignored. At the call centre there are numerous cubicles, but I do not think half of them have a consultant so it is no wonder one waits so long. Something needs to be done,” she said.
