The numbers

UCT’s Communication and Marketing Department’s (CMD) work is delivered against annual activities and financial plans, which are signed off by the Vice-Chancellor as the line manager of the executive director.

We had a total annual budget of R35 497 880 for 2021 of which R10 328 764 was operating budget allocated to university-wide activities and R25 169 116 allocated to salaries.

University-wide budget analysis

The university-wide spending plans were impacted by the continued effects of the COVID-19 pandemic with accompanying lockdown restrictions and the UCT fire, resulting in the cancellation or postponement of many university events while others were conducted virtually.

Consequently, the university-wide budget had a surplus of R794 000 at the end of 2021. This was due to most events being hosted online where, notwithstanding the workload still being significant and complex, CMD was able to reduce some costs.

Operating budget analysis

At the end of 2021 we had an operating budget surplus of R106 000. This was a result even though the department filled vacancies and met key operational commitments. An important operational investment for the department in the period has been the work related to the outcomes of the inclusivity survey and initiatives of our transformation committee.