HDA Annual Report

ANNUAL REPORT 2023/24

The processes being implemented include the management of both formal and informal disciplinary inquiries and suspensions, where appropriate. Improved Governance and Risk Management Along with the Board and the relevant board subcommittees, we were deliberate in integrating enterprise risk management practices with organisational strategy and planning to enable performance and accelerate service delivery. This included developing a resilient risk management policy and framework that drives a culture of risk accountability and shares an understanding of the Agency’s risk management process. The Agency defined the risk thresholds on its risk appetite and tolerance framework to guide management on the acceptable level of risk to which the HDA can be exposed in pursuing organisational value. Climate Change The consequences of global warming, extreme weather and sea-level rise has negatively impacted the human settlements sector. The primary hazards facing South Africa’s human settlements are fires, floods, severe storm intensity, drought and heat occurrences. Following our mandate of providing project management support to provinces and municipalities, the HDA was appointed by the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Department of Human Settlements to provide temporary emergency accommodation to households affected by the floods that occured in April 2022 of floods in KZN. This intervention included land identification and acquisition, identifying and acquiring Temporary Emergency Accommodations (TEAs). The HDA currently manages three TEAs that provide temporary accommodation to about 818 families. Supply Chain Management Our supply chain management policy continued to improve to be compliant with the requirements of National Treasury practice notes and the PFMA. I am glad to report that all findings in supply chain management were resolved and no material findings

were raised in the 2023/24 financial year.

Operational Efficiency A key strategy to improve the standard of our operational efficiency is the implementation of an Electronic Documents and Records Management System (EDRMS). The system focuses on effective and efficient operational systems and is part of the digital transformation initiative of the HDA toward a paperless, integrated, and automated information environment. As part of implementing the EDRMS, various specific workflows were developed with control gates to ensure a checklist that forces compliance through uploading and confirmation of documents and records. The organisation moved all its core systems, including emails, financial and accounting systems, mapping files and repositories, and active directories, to be cloud-based. Not only does that bring stability to the access of data and systems, but it also allows the organisation to put mechanisms in place to address the business continuity risk in the event of a disaster. As a result of the implementation of the EDRMS, it was possible to also automate the movable and immovable asset register. People The Agency consists of a technically skilled and competent cohort of professionals. With the support of the Board and the Minister, we were able to recruit key senior management, including the Chief Financial Officer, Chief Audit Executive, Head of Corporate Services, Head of Strategy and Programme Planning, and the Risk Manager. Transformation and Empowerment The Agency exceeded all the targets set to support designated groups, i.e., women, youth and persons living with disability.

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