Deputy Minister in the Presidency responsible for Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) Kenny Morolong says citizen engagement remains central to the work of The Presidency through both mediated and unmediated platforms.
“The GCIS and its entities, Brand SA and Media Development and Diversity Agency, are therefore fully poised to support this engagement programme,” Morolong said.
Speaking during The Presidency Budget Vote in Cape Town on Tuesday, Morolong said the GCIS is mandated to communicate the broad programme of government and empower citizens through disseminating crucial information.
“In keeping with this mandate, Cabinet has approved the National Communications Strategic Framework to be driven by the GCIS through the entire system of government,” Morolong said.
The National Communication Strategic Framework (NCSF) calls for a more coherent, citizen-centred and development-oriented government communication system.
“The NCSF positions communication not as an afterthought to delivery, but a strategic instrument for building trust, taking South Africans into confidence and ensuring that a coherent message is communicated across all spheres of government,” he said.
Morolong explained that as a department reporting to The Presidency, this work is done with the full support of the Ministry.
“In this regard, we have started a series of consultations with the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) and various provincial governments to socialise this national policy and align it for provincial implementation.
“We have already engaged with the North West province. The Free State is scheduled for next week and plans to engage Mpumalanga and others is continuing apace,” Morolong said.
Brand South Africa, meanwhile, ensures that South African products are bought abroad, that investors do invest in South Africa, tourists visit South African shores and foreign students choose South African universities.
“Brand SA is a custodian of our nation brand, mandated to promote our national reputation globally and domestically.
“Brand SA will only achieve this important task through nation brand alignment with all stakeholders both in the public and private sectors, so that we all understand that our actions can either be brand enablers or disablers,” he said.
The MDDA is mandated to ensure diversified ownership of media platforms and consumption of media products curated by community and grassroots media platforms in their local languages.
“The MDDA’s grant and seed funding programme supports the sustainability, growth and development of community media through both capital and operational investments,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za
