Compensation Commissioner For Occupational Diseases (Ccod) Annual Perfomance Plan

The Compensation Commissioner for Occupational Diseases (CCOD) is established in terms of the Occupational Diseases in Mines and Works Act (No. 78 of 1973). It compensates miners and ex-miners (or their estate) for impairment of lungs or respiratory organs. In particular, the CCOD's function includes: . Administering the Mines and Works Compensation Fund to compensate ex- miners disabled by occupational lung disease; . Determining and recovering levies from controlled mines and works; . Awarding benefits to miners and ex-miners suffering from occupational lung related diseases; and . Investing levies collected and interest earned from investments.

11.1 Vision

The CCOD and Medical Bureau for Occupational Diseases (MBOD) strives to deliver an accessible and effective occupational health system and services that ensure prevention, care and compensation for workers with occupational health diseases and injuries and their beneficiaries.

8 Mission

Enhancement of the health system to prevent occupational diseases and provide clinical services and compensation to workers and ex-workers in controlled mines and works.

9 Legislative Matters

Numerous deficiencies in the working of the CCOD have been documented. There was an Appeal Court judgement in favour of the CCOD with respect to the recovery of monies from owners of controlled mines and works for the deficit in the Mines and Works Compensation Fund. It allows for the Compensation Fund to levy owners accordingly, and also notes that separate books of accounts should be kept i.e. a Mines Account, a Works Account, a State Account and a Research Account.

Planned policy initiatives identified by the CCOD include:

. Amendments to the Occupational Diseases in Mines and Works Act, No. 73 of 1973 (ODIMWA); . Expanding the coverage of mines and works beyond the current 246 controlled mines and works; . Development of decentralised services for workers and ex-workers. An occupational health system and services is envisaged with the introduction of NHI and the re-engineering of Primary Health Care (PHC) System; . Determining models of service delivery to ex-workers in labour sending areas within the wider SADC region; and . Working with the Department of Labour and Treasury to align compensation systems.

10 Organisational Environment

The CCOD identified the following factors for its poor performance in the past financial year:

. 26% vacancy rate; . Management deficiencies; . Inadequate information technology system; . Lack of inspections of controlled mines and works; . Non-functioning Risk Committee; . Inability to verify claims data; and . Concerns about the valuation of the Fund and its sustainability.

11 Strategic objectives

Five strategic goals have been identified as follows:

1. Changes to the policy and legislative framework of the CCOD and MBOD. 2. Improve the governance of the CCOD and MBOD. 3. Optimise management and human and other resource capacity of the CCOD and MBOD. 4. Enhance service delivery to workers and ex-workers in controlled mines and works. 5. Ensure the sustainability of the Compensation Fund.

12 Budget

The budget increased 35.1% from R34.3 million (2012/13) to R52.8 million in the current financial year (2013/14). Highlighted is a decrease in compensation of ex-mine workers from R139.9 million to R102 million, whilst the compensation of tuberculosis (TB) increased from R5 million to R50 million. The Eastern Cape project continues to get R500 000 budget allocation.

It was indicated that about R255.9 million will be from tax revenue, R94.6 million from non-tax revenue with R197.1 million in surplus. Capital expenditure on infrastructure and computer equipment were allocated R5 million and R1.4 million, respectively. No budget allocation for land and buildings, as well as for leased motor vehicles.