OMBUD COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT 2024/25

PART B: PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

2.2.2 ACHIEVING OPERATIONAL INDEPENDENCE Financial year 2024/25 was the first year in which the Ombud Council operated without a shared services agreement for provision of corporate functions by the FSCA. Since its establishment and until the end of 2023/24, a MoA was in place for the FSCA to provide corporate services support to the Ombud Council for financial and supply chain management, HR management, risk management, ICT advisory support and, initially, Board secretariat support. The Ombud Council focused intensively during the 2024/25 financial year on developing and implementing the entity’s own policies, systems and processes, successfully achieving operational independence. Specific achievements include the following: ● From a HR perspective, all vacant positions were filled, and the full targeted staff complement is in place. A remuneration model was developed and implemented enhancing the employee value proposition. The Council developed and implemented its own HR policies and processes, including recruitment and performance management processes, payroll systems, and an intranet with employee self-service and other automated processes. Employment Equity policies and plans were developed and implemented, and employment equity targets were substantively met. ● Implementing the Council’s own financial management and procurement policies and processes. ● Securing outsourced ICT services and systems to enable core communication, finance and payroll processes as well as our website and intranet. ● Implementing an internal audit function including conducting several corporate services function audits, with all internal audit findings subsequently resolved. ● Achieved a clean external audit for the 2023/24 financial year.

2.2.3 GOVERNANCE STRUCTURES The Ombud Council is governed by its Board and two Board Committees, the Audit and Risk Committee and the Remuneration and Human Resources Committee. The Minister of Finance re-appointed the majority of the Board members in November 2023, and appointed Ms. Eileen Meyer as Chairperson effective 1 November 2023. These appointments continued to provide valuable oversight continuity for the Ombud Council. Mr. Nico Esterhuizen was appointed as a member of the Audit and Risk Committee from 1 February 2024. To manage the governance of Board and Committee matters, an outsourced Board Secretariat was appointed at the end of the financial year for a period of two years. 2.2.4 STAFF From a staffing perspective, the financial year began with the Ombud Council having four filled positions, the Chief Ombud, Head of Operations, Head of Finance and Executive Administrative Assistant. The following permanent appointments were made during the year:

POSITION

COMMENCEMENT OF DUTY

Head of Regulation and Oversight

May 2024

Procurement Officer

September 2024

Communications Officer

January 2025

Business Support Officer

March 2025

Some of these appointments were made later in the year than initially planned, resulting in resource constraints during the year, which in turn impacted achievement of some targeted deliverables. However, going forward, these appointments mean that the Ombud Council’s organisational structure as at the year-end is now fully capacitated with all posts filled.

Mr. Siphiwe Dube: Head of Operations

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OMBUD COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT 2024/25