IF A SUPPLIER DOESN’T KNOW THEIR STORY, VICKEY DOESN’T BUY IT
The Market Theatre Foundation’s procurer, Vickey, is a diligent steward of public funds.
Finding the right person for a project is a combination of a business science and the human eye. At The Market Theatre Foundation, the function of Supply Chain Management (SCM) is not just a game of RFQs, bidding documents and appointments of service providers. Rather, it’s about connecting likeminded suppliers with the leading cultural institution’s vision, while strengthening systems, improving productivity and creating a healthy organisational culture.
At the MTF, one man stands at the intersection of this value exchange: Vickey Pienaar – SCM officer. Vickey arrived at the MTF in 2015 from the City of Joburg where he occupied various positions (junior buyer, creditors clerk, sourcing specialist, HR officer) both at CoJ and its agency, Pikitup.
Throughout his eight years at the MTF, Vickey has moved across different roles, from being a payroll clerk to being a junior buyer and now SCM officer.
To Vickey, waking up every day to come to The Market Square goes beyond sifting countless bidding documents and ensuring compliance—it’s an operationalisation of sound public financial management, strong internal controls and accountability.
“In terms of doing buying for the MTF, it is a strategic role, so without this position there will be no accountability in terms of spending the funds given from the state,” he says.
Of course, this is no walk in the park. The job comes with many challenges, such as missing mandatory documents like tax compliance certificates, Central Supplier Database (CSD) registration details, Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment affidavits, incomplete bid forms, late submissions and high volumes of applications, among others.
For many practitioners, these challenges would be enough to ruin a day at the office. But for Vickey, it is not the hurdles before a contract is awarded that keep him up at night. Instead, his greatest concern is what happens afterwards, ensuring the organisation receives value for money.
He points to the non-performance of suppliers in delivering contracted services as his biggest challenge. When suppliers fail to deliver, projects are delayed, timelines are disrupted, and the organisation often incurs additional costs, straining the already thin resources.
For this dedication, it is especially rewarding for Vickey when the organisation receives clean audit outcomes, knowing that the SCM processes he oversees are an integral part of those results.
But this is not all Vickey Pienaar lives for. He has built an equally fulfilling life outside of work where he connects with nature, refreshes his mind and spends quality time with loved ones.
“I love boating and hiking. I am an outdoor person,” he reveals.
Related Posts
KOPANO YA BATHO Market Laboratory Alumni Festival:The Road to 40!
The Market Theatre Laboratory has partnered with Ons Kom Productions to gather the talented people who have graduated from The Laboratory for a three-day inaugural Lab Alumni Festival, taking place from the 21 – 23 August 2026 in the Ramolao Makhene Theatre. The festival is aimed at celebrating the legacy of The Market Theatre Laboratory and the generations of artists it has produced.
PEOPLE OF THE MARKET – FLOYD THE SMOOTHEST OPERATOR
Throughout his 25 years of excellent service at The Market Theatre Foundation, Floyd Dlamini has been climbing the ladder – sometimes literally – to becoming one of the institution’s living libraries in its 50th birthyear.
