University of the Witwatersrand (WITS) Health Consortium

Wits Health Consortium (Pty) Limited (“WHC“) is a wholly owned Company of the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg (South Africa) under its Faculty of Health Sciences. WHC provides Faculty with a legal framework within which to operate the research and other activities necessary to support its academic objectives. In addition WHC offers a range of products and services to the Academics conducting these activities in order to assist with the management thereof.

WHC was formed in March 1998 to harness and stimulate the commercial potential within Faculty, and in particular to capitalise on clinical research. The flexible manner in which WHC is structured encourages academics to operate their entities along entrepreneurial lines with strong investigator ownership. WHC balances reducing unnecessary bureaucratic control whilst still ensuring that activities are conducted in a formalised, controlled and well managed environment. WHC has also been the fertile breeding ground for many initiatives, the most notable being the formation of the Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre which was incubated within WHC and eventually established in its own entity.

As mentioned, WHC is a wholly owned Company of the University of Witwatersrand (Johannesburg, South Africa), established under its Faculty of Health Sciences. Whilst WHC is a private company, it has been granted exemption from income taxation under Section 10(1)(cA)(ii) of the South African income taxation Act, this as its activities are ancillary and complimentary to those of its sole shareholder the University, which is also an income tax exempt entity.

As WHC is expected to be self sufficient it ensures that syndicates do not incur losses and is managed to generate surplus for the CORE operation which is either used to improve services, or paid to Faculty to invest in the academic infrastructure within which WHC operates.

Wits Health Consortium Services

Wits Health Consortium (WHC) provides administrative services to its syndicates via its Shared Service Division (SSD). The quality of the services provided is constantly being reviewed, improved and expanded in order to cope with WHC’S rapid growth and the ever complex administrative requirements.

Finance and Administration
WHC has extensive experience in administering grant- and commercially-funded activities and contract work by virtue of managing the numerous projects conducted each year by its syndicates. The syndicates are managed as stand-alone units within the WHC legal entity. Each project is ring-fenced (where necessary) and can be operated from its own separate bank account if required (we operate some 300 bank accounts).

Whilst WHC is audited annually by PriceWaterHouseCoopers as a legal entity, project specific audits are also conducted in accordance with sponsor requirements. KPMG provide WHC with its internal audit function in order to improve the administrative controls to better manage identified risks. In order to mitigate certain risks WHC has secured insurance cover for the whole legal entity, including syndicates and projects.

The range of services provided includes:

Maintenance of general ledger and cash-book in accordance with sponsor requirements.
Accounts payable – full control over the procurement and supplier payment process.
Accounts receivable – billing of sponsors and customers and collection of debts.
Reporting – generation of reports in accordance with syndicate and sponsor requirements.
General administration – projects fall under WHC’s umbrella government levy registrations (e.g. Value Added Tax) and one submission is made for WHC and its syndicates, with refunds and payments accounted at a project level.

Human Resources
The Human Resources Department provides advice and service across a wide range of employment areas to all WHC employees and syndicates, including:

Recruitment services. This forms a large part of the HR function and assistance includes the advertising of positions, short-listing candidates, interviewing processes and employment offers.
Industrial Relations. The WHC prides itself on being a fair employer and to this end the HR department provides industrial relations advice and procedures to ensure we are legally compliant and fair to our employees.
Job descriptions. The HR department assists the various syndicates with the development of job descriptions and then the formal grading of positions. This assists us in ensuring salary parity and allowing career development paths to be established.
Policies & Procedures. The HR department is responsible for the development of all policies and procedures relating to the employment relationship.
Legal compliance. The HR department ensures that we are legally complaint in terms of our Employment Equity and Skills Development submissions and reports.
Employee benefits. The HR department is continually striving to provide our employees with attractive benefits. These would include (amongst others) leave benefits, training opportunities, access to medical aid, retirement funding, group life and disability cover.

Payroll
The WHC Payroll Department:

Strives to offer the service of on time and accurate salary payments.
Ensures all 3rd party deductions are made in accordance with the appropriate legislation and are paid over to relevant parties e.g. income tax, unemployment insurance, medical aid premiums, retirement fund contributions.
IRP5’s are issued to employees efficiently and in advance for submission of their returns. (The HR, Payroll and Finance Departments together provide employees with some training and assistance in completing their annual tax returns!).
Queries are handled quickly and proper feedback provided.

Information Technology
The SSD operates a cost effective, but efficient computer platform to assist in the delivery of service to the syndicates. WHC uses the ACCPAC accounting system, the VIP payroll and HR system and a range of custom software packages for managing general functions.

WHC provides syndicates with access to cost-effective IT support, IT infrastructure, web hosting and software development services.

Graphics and Print Studio
WHC entered into a joint venture with one of its syndicates during 2004 to provide graphics, design and print studio services to its other syndicates. Ukwenza Graphics has an intimate understanding of the academic, research and healthcare sectors, and uses this unique knowledge to deliver a high level of service to this niche. Ukwenza offers a wide range of services including:

Print media
Graphic design
Web design
Multi-media production
Research data collection (via the Teleform tool)

Contact Information

Street Address
8 Blackwood Avenue
Parktown
Johannesburg
2193

Map
Click here

Postal Address
Postnet Suite 189
Private Bag X2600
Houghton
Johannesburg
2041

Phone
International
+ 27 11 274-9200
South Africa
(011) 274-9200

Fax
International
+ 27 11 274-9304
South Africa
(011) 274-9304

e-Mail
info@witshealth.co.za