OMBUD COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT 2024/25

PART B: PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

4. INSTITUTIONAL PROGRAMME PERFORMANCE INFORMATION T he Ombud Council’s Annual Performance Plan (APP) for 2024/25 comprised two programmes: Administration; and Regulation and Oversight.

SUB-PROGRAMME: JURISDICTION AND CO-ORDINATION The purpose of this sub-programme is to use statutory powers to deliver on the mandate to clarify jurisdiction of ombud schemes and promote co-ordination in the ombud system. It targets the following outcomes: ● Jurisdictional gaps, overlaps, and inconsistencies between scheme processes reduced. ● Develop consistent ombud scheme reporting processes. SUB-PROGRAMME: FINANCIAL INCLUSION AND CONSUMER AWARENESS The purpose of this sub-programme is to collaborate with stakeholders to promote consumer awareness of the ombud system and, in so doing, to support financial inclusion, to deliver on the mandate per section 177(1) (d) n and (g) of the FSR Act. The sub-programme targets the following outcome: ● Enhanced consumer awareness of ombud services through Ombud Council support of awareness and education initiatives by stakeholders. SUB-PROGRAMME: REFORM OF THE OMBUD SYSTEM The purpose of this sub-programme is to facilitate reform of the ombud system to better support the Ombud Council’s statutory objective. This entails ongoing proactive participation in reform and transition projects, targeting the following outcome. ● The implementation of regulatory and institutional reform of the ombud system is well-managed. SUB-PROGRAMME: OMBUD SYSTEM OVERSIGHT The purpose of this sub-programme is to exercise oversight over ombud systems to deliver on the Council’s mandate to monitor the performance of ombud schemes (section 177(1)(h) of the FSR Act). The target outcome is: ● An effective supervision framework is in place to identify non-compliance or poor performance of ombud schemes.

4.1 DESCRIPTION OF EACH PROGRAMME ADMINISTRATION PROGRAMME The purpose of this programme is for the Ombud Council to meet its overall governance objective as per section 178 of the FSR Act – more specifically to deliver support services to the institution and towards performance and the delivery of services by other programmes. This programme therefore supports the Council’s internally focused strategic priority to build a well-governed institution, sufficiently capacitated to perform its functions efficiently and effectively. Due to the scale of operations, the Administration programme is not further split into sub-programmes. The programme targets the following outcomes: ● Adequate capacity and capability in place to perform statutory functions. ● Sustainable funding ensured. ● Financial management system and controls exist. REGULATION AND OVERSIGHT PROGRAMME The purpose of this Programme is to perform regulatory and supervisory functions in line with the Ombud Council’s statutory mandate to ensure that financial customers have access to and can use affordable, effective, independent and fair alternative dispute resolution processes. It entails operationalising the Ombud Council’s core regulatory, supervisory and enforcement functions and aims to promote consumer awareness of the ombud system and to proactively contribute to meaningful structural reform of the system in the interest of financial customers. The Regulation and Oversight Programme comprises four sub-programmes:

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OMBUD COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT 2024/25