Mabonhle Mbatha

Banking specialist with nearly 20 years’ experience in financial services, including 17 years investigating and resolving credit card complaints and credit bureau disputes at ABSA. Trusted to manage complex, high-risk customer matters where thorough investigation, sound judgement, regulatory interpretation, and compliance with the National Credit Act (NCA) are essential. Known for communicating difficult decisions clearly, coordinating across Legal, Fraud and Operations to resolve escalated cases to resolve escalated cases, and maintaining high accuracy under demanding SLAs.

Call Centre Manager - Xiquel Group - Johannesburg

(2026)

Leads the daily operations of Xiquel Group's support centre, ensuring students, higher education institutions and private accommodation providers receive timely, accurate support across calls, email, WhatsApp and the case management platform.

• Lead a team of four Agents and Senior Analysts, with planned growth to between six and ten team members as the contact centre expands.
• Oversee day-to-day service delivery, workforce planning, queue management, productivity, attendance, adherence and turnaround times to maintain operational performance against service level agreements.
• Manage customer and stakeholder escalations, coordinating with internal teams to resolve complex operational issues and support consistent service delivery.
• Coach team members through regular performance reviews, performance improvement plans and day-to-day leadership while managing disciplinary matters where required.
• Participate in recruitment and interviews to support the continued growth of the contact centre.
• Produce operational reports and identify opportunities to improve accountability, team efficiency, stakeholder communication and the overall customer experience.
• Develop formal quality assurance and customer satisfaction frameworks to strengthen performance measurement and continuous improvement across the operation.

Complaint Case Manager - ABSA Bank - Johannesburg

(2016 - 2026)

Main point of contact for complex credit card complaints, conducting end-to-end investigations to deliver fair, well-reasoned outcomes aligned with the National Credit Act (NCA), regulatory requirements and bank policy.

• Trusted with complex and escalated credit card complaints involving disputed facilities, regulatory interpretation and high-risk customer matters requiring careful factual analysis.
• Conducted end-to-end investigations by gathering evidence across Legal, Fraud and Operations, assessing legal and financial risk before recommending appropriate outcomes.
• Explained investigation findings clearly to customers, guiding them through complex complaint resolution processes while maintaining transparency and professionalism.
• Resolved an average of 15 complex complaint cases each day while consistently meeting regulated service level agreement.
• Recognized as a Subject Matter Expert (SME), providing guidance on complex cases, reviewing escalated matters and identifying complaint trends that supported improved operational practices.

Credit Bureau Complaints Specialist - ABSA Bank - Johannesburg

(2009 - 2016)

• Managed credit bureau dispute investigations, adverse listings, and judgment rescission processes.
• Handled routine to complex credit bureau queries, translating technical regulations into clear, plain language for customers.
• Evaluated cases against internal business rules and NCA regulations to resolve disputes on first contact wherever possible.
• Partnered with legal counsel on formal judgment rescission applications when cases required legal follow-through.
• Maintained accurate, auditable records of all bureau disputes and regulatory outcomes.

Administrator Clerk - ABSA Bank - Johannesburg

(2007 - 2009)

• Managed office facilities, building maintenance, boardroom bookings, catering, logistics, office supplies, and SAP purchase order processing.

Secretary - Maseko Xulu Construction - Johannesburg

(2005 - 2007)

• Supported consultants and executives, managed appointment schedules, travel logistics, basic bookkeeping, payroll, financial reporting, and project documentation.

Switchboard Operator - City of Johannesburg - Johannesburg

(2004 - 2005)

• Screened and routed high-volume incoming calls, delivered accurate messages, maintained switchboard directory, and supported reception duties.

Project Management - Parktown College (2012 - 2012)

Applying SHE Principles and Procedures - NOSA West Rand (2009 - 2009)

Architectural Draughting Diploma - Intec College (2007 - 2007)

Business Secretary Diploma - Birnam Business College (2004 - 2004)

Grade 12 Certificate - Lancea Vale Secondary School (1999 - 2003)

ECD - Early Childhood Development (NQF Level 5) - SA Child Care Support Training (2024 - 2024)

Early Childhood Development (NQF Level 4) - North West University (2019 - 2019)

Building and Civil Engineering (N6) - Central Johannesburg College (2016 - 2016)