Page 12 - KZN Film A Report

The KZNFC established a COVID-19 Steering Committee to prepare the employees to operate remotely. This required:
• Resources to be allocated in order to equip employees
(e.g. laptops, 3G cards, cell phone allowances) to operate
effectively from their remote locations;
• Review of the business process to ensure effective
controls remained in place
• Preparation of offices to safeguard employees,
stakeholders and visitors;
• Automation of all business processes;
• Extensive ongoing risk assessments;
• Extensive communication with all stakeholders on the
availability of services; and
• Compliance with all COVID-19 regulations and Treasury
practice notes issued weekly.
The lockdown had an adverse impact on some of the operations of the Entity with a number of activities being delayed or cancelled. Meetings and workshops that were planned for the financial year were cancelled or postponed. Bid committee meetings to undertake Supply Chain
Management (SCM) decisions were postponed resulting in the delay in procurement of goods and services and extensions being granted in line with the Treasury Instruction notes.
The financial impact of the change in operations had both positive and negative impacts on the 2020/2021 financial year with cost savings in reduced activities such as printing and audit fees while data and IT services increased to ensure effective remote operations. Coupled with the internal changes, National Treasury issued instructions with regards to reducing specific costs pertaining to remuneration and associated personnel costs. Furthermore, reprioritisation was required where activities could not take place e.g. international marketing events, where funds were directed to a COVID-19 Relief Fund.
Furthermore, in order to support the KZNFC Film Cluster tenants who were facing financial challenges as their businesses came to a halt during lockdown, a rental holiday was granted for the duration that offices were not accessible to tenants, impacting on the revenue earned by KZNFC during the year. The full impact of the State of Emergency on the operations of KZNFC is reflected in PART B.
10
KZN FILM COMMISSION ANNUAL REPORT 2020/2021