National Arts Council receives third consecutive clean audit under leadership of Dumisani Dlamini

The National Arts Council recently received its third consecutive clean audit after another impressive performance in 2016 and 2017.

This milestone in the council’s growth trajectory was achieved through the diligence and innovativeness of its finance team, spearheaded by its passionate chief financial officer (CFO), Dumisani Dlamini.

“Clean audits do not simply happen, they are a culmination of dedicated and concerted efforts, all year round, by each individual working in or representing the organisation,” said Dlamini, who was last year awarded the Young CFO of the Year and Public CFO of the Year awards at the prestigious CFO Awards.

“One of the key things we owe our success to is our approach to spending our funds. We always make sure we weigh out our options before committing to something. Whether big or small, we approach it the same.”

The modernisation process, as driven by Dlamini and members of the executive, aims to move the NAC forward in a pragmatic way that maximises resources and minimises leakages. This, according to Dlamini, is key in a tough economic environment that is characterised by uncertainty and increased financial constraints.

Since joining the NAC in 2014, Dlamini has taken the public entity from strength to strength through sound financial management, tighter measures for corporate governance and a concerted drive towards teamwork, collaboration and instituting practical efficiencies that save costs and boost the NAC’s capacity to fulfil its mandate.

Dlamini said the NAC has embarked on a modernisation process to streamline its operations for more efficient service delivery.

“This is envisioned to impact all facets of the organisation, from the way in which members of the board take resolutions, how panels access and assess applicants and the way financial and operational strategies are executed, to the manner in which staff members conduct themselves.”

This level of efficiency is the reason why NAC has been able to provide good service to artists who come seeking help and aid.

“The way we have been able to use our resources efficiently has put us in a position to be able to do more for our artists and in return, the artists have been able to take full advantage of the opportunities.”

According to Dlamini, the NAC aims to maintain its clean audit results by focusing on effective service delivery in the arts, culture and heritage sector, hence a concerted effort to ensure quicker turnaround times in processing funding applications and making payments to artists and arts organisations, which would, in turn, reflect an efficient organisation.

Read: DA calls ANC claims, lies