Question NW881 to the Minister of Human Settlements
17 May 2018 - NW881
Chance, Mr R to ask the Minister of Human Settlements
What (a)(i) is the purpose of the Community Schemes Ombud Service and (ii) services does it offer (b)(i) is the funding mechanism of the Ombud and (ii) was the total income and expenditure of the Ombud over the past three financial years, (c) was the performance of the Ombud over the past three financial years in terms of cases (i) heard and (ii) resolved, (d) was the original set up cost of the Ombud, (e) was its staffing structure, (f) is/are the location/s of its offices and (g) is the way in which the Ombud deliver services?
Reply:
(a) (i) What is the purpose of the Community Schemes Ombud Service?
The Community Schemes Ombud Service Act under which the Community Services Ombud Service has been established regulates the community schemes industry, to provide alternative dispute resolution mechanisms and management of all community scheme documentation.
(ii) What service does it offer?
The functions of CSOS include inter alia the following;
• Develop and provide a dispute resolution service in terms of this Act;
• Provide training for conciliators, adjudicators and other employees of the CSOS;
• Regulate, monitor and control the quality of all sectional titles scheme governance documentation and such other scheme governance documentation; as may be determined by the Minister by notice in the Gazette; and
• Take custody of, preserve and provide public access electronically or by other means to sectional title scheme governance documentation and such other scheme governance documents as may be determined by the Minister by notice in the Gazette.
In performing its functions the CSOS has an obligation to: -
• Promote good governance of community schemes;
• Provide education, information, documentation and such services as may be required to raise awareness to owners, occupiers, executive committees and other persons or entities who have rights and obligations in community schemes, as regards those rights and obligations;
(b) (i) What is the funding mechanism of the Ombud?
In terms of Section 22(1) of the CSOS Act, the Community Schemes Ombud Service derives its revenue sources from:
• Money appropriated by Parliament;
• Levies collected from community schemes with the approval of the Minister;
• Fees for services rendered based on cost recovery;
• Interest derived from investments of the Service;
• Donations or contributions received by the Service with the approval of the Minister; and
• Subsidies and grants from organs of state.
(ii) What was the total income and expenditure of the Ombud over the past three financial years,
(ii) Based on information provided by the Community Schemes Ombud Service the following is the income and expenditure of the CSOS for the following periods:
Find here: Income and expenditure of the CSOS