National Consumer Tribunal Annual Report 2011/12 National Consumer Tribunal 2011-12 | Page 53

Staff initiatives are also undertaken through the year. These included
team building sessions as well as an intervention designed to facilitate
improved communication within the organisation.
There were no instances of unauthorised leave or absenteeism during
the year.
Human resources – organisational structure
The following is an outline of the roles and responsibilities of key offices
of the Tribunal.
The Office of the Chairperson acts as the custodian of the Tribunal’s
corporate governance and code of ethics, with the Chairperson providing
strategic leadership. The Chairperson also acts as the Accounting
Authority, advises the Minister of Trade and Industry on consumer and
credit policy, is responsible for the management and adjudication of
cases, and adjudicates on cases as a Tribunal member.
The Office of the CEO of the Tribunal operationalises the Tribunal’s
Strategic Plan through the Business Plan and ensures that planning,
reporting and monitoring processes are in line with the PFMA. The CEO
manages and provides support to the Tribunal in respect of administration,
financial and human resources, oversees effective and efficient financial
management, and implements the corporate governance framework.
The Office of the Registrar of the Tribunal manages the Tribunal’s
case flow to ensure that cases are efficiently handled. The Registrar’s
duties include ensuring that Tribunal Rules are adhered to, evaluating
applications and referrals, compiling notices of filings, and managing
communication with all parties involved in cases. The Registrar also
gives support to Tribunal members in respect of set-down, pre-trial
hearings and hearings, and ensures that they have adequate resources.
The Registrar analyses cases to provide statistics on performance and
trends.
The Registry Unit is the custodian of all Tribunal case documentation
and records, and document and case management systems. Registry
acts as the entry point for customers of the Tribunal, and coordinates the
management of risk.
The Case Management Unit provides support to Tribunal members by
conducting research, and providing input into various policy and legislative
amendments. This unit contributes to the knowledge management
system and updates the case management system. The CMU provides
support to Tribunal members through its research and analysis of cases.
The Finance Unit provides support to the Tribunal by managing the
financial processes, including monthly, quarterly and annual financial
statements, payments, journal entries, reconciliations and reporting
information, cash flow statements, and the Tribunal’s investments. The
unit compiles and manages the annual budgets and ensures compliance
with relevant legislation and financial policies.
Annual Report 2011
national consumer tribunal | page 51