Advocate Boyce Mkhize Chief Ombud of the Community Schemes Ombud Service

INTERVIEW COMMUNITY SCHEMES OMBUD SERVICES

Advocate Boyce Mkhize Chief Ombud of the Community Schemes Ombud Service

Q. Congratulations on your appointment! How do you hope to make a valuable contribution to CSOS?

A. Thank you for the congratulatory note on my appointment. I seek to infuse energy, agility, innovation, responsiveness, quality and outstanding customer relationship management in our dealings with our various stakeholders. CSOS is a State-Owned Entity, but I do want to turn it away from the perception that Government is ineffective, inefficient and tardy. This spirit must be modelled first by myself as a Leader and cascade throughout the organisation. Governance of Schemes and resolution of disputes is our key mandate and, therefore, all interventions I seek to bring will be geared towards enhancing best practices and models in these areas, without neglecting the impact of support functions.

Q. Resolving administrative disputes can be quite a daunting task. Why is this such an important field to be in?

A. Resolving disputes is such an important field because it contributes to the peaceful co-existence of individuals living in the communities that we regulate. Nobody wants to live in an environment where there is a constant nuisance, bickering and conflicts.

Q. What are the key drivers in providing an impartial and transparent service to resolve administrative disputes in community schemes?

• Objectivity

• Sound knowledge of legal frameworks and principles

• Appropriate interpretation of law and application to facts

Q. How has CSOS successfully maintained the running of an inexpensive and efficient system for its customers?

A. By emphasising the importance of conciliating disputes rather than embarking on a fully blown adversarial system of adjudication of disputes. Conciliations provide a quicker, inexpensive and more long lasting solution to disputes as it becomes an agreed upon resolution of the dispute, as opposed to an adjudication order where there is a winner and a loser.

Q. In which ways has the pandemic affected the organisation, and how have you overcome this?

A. The management of disputes has suffered some setbacks due to restrictions on physical meetings etc. However, we have instituted other alternative means for resolving disputes, such as online or virtual hearings as well as adjudications that are conducted on paper. This has created an environment where disputes do not pile up waiting for physical meetings, but can be resolved speedily through virtual platforms or determinations on paper.

Q. What are your plans for the next year at CSOS?

A. I would like to see an efficient and effective machinery developed within CSOS for the enhancement of governance of Schemes as well as efficient resolution of disputes. A viable Business Automation Solution must be procured and implemented in order to fast track the registration or onboarding of new Schemes and maintenance of their registrations with CSOS. Our public profile must be enhanced through public campaigns and our performance must increase to at least 80% of our targets. We also need to reverse the qualified audit opinion that we received and move much closer to a clean audit. Our brand should invoke positive feelings of confidence amongst our stakeholders with a highly competent and suitable team of employees. •

Address: Berkley Office Park, 8 Bauhinia Street, Highveld Techno Park, Centurion, 0169 Website: www.csos.org.za Tel: 010 593 0533