In a move aimed at improving public access to reliable information, the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) is repositioning itself as a central hub for credible government content, enhanced media monitoring and faster responses to citizens’ concerns.
“This is part of evolving GCIS from being just a coordinator of the government communication system, but to also serve as a government content hub by becoming a central content authority of government communication,” Minister in The Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said on Wednesday.
The shift is intended to close communication gaps and ensure South Africans are better informed about government’s efforts to improve lives across the country.
Tabling the GCIS Budget Vote in Parliament, Ntshavheni said the new approach would strengthen consistency in government messaging, enable the government to frame its own narratives, and counter misinformation using verified sources.
She said the model would also help government maintain information authority during crises by serving as a central source of verified information for both citizens and media houses.
“The GCIS has started to operationalise the Editorial Content Centre (ECC), which is being replicated at the provincial level. The Editorial Content Centre coordinates the other four pillars for informed editorial decision-making,” the Minister said.
The key pillars of the Government Content Hub model are the Editorial Content Centre (ECC), the SAnews wire service, the platforms approach, the revised media engagement approach, and a national fact-checking capability.
SAnews wire service
During the 2025/26 Budget Debate, the Minister said the GCIS was positioning SAnews, the government's news agency, as a fully fledged government wire service, aimed not only at publishing content, but also at redistributing government news articles more widely.
Ntshavheni said the work was progressing well.
“Therefore, the performance measurement of SAnews is not based on website traffic but on the number of downstream channels that have used the SAnews content or the redistribution rate.
“The next steps will include releasing alerts and statements through SAnews. On the redistribution rate, between April of 2025 and March 2026, 377 (306 National and 77 international) SAnews content was reused by downstream channels,” the Minister said.
Platforms approach
Starting in the 2026/27 financial year, the GCIS will begin monitoring weekly reach, engagement and shares across all its content platforms, not only for performance measurement, but also to address what it calls the “visibility gap”.
“Closing the visibility gap requires GCIS to have a structured summary and analysis of what citizens are asking and sharing, and where government is absent from conversations which are underway. The insights will inform redistribution, content decisions and editorial actions.
“This advances the work on improved engagement rate aimed at improving interaction between government and citizens, which we piloted in the 2025/26 [financial year]. From that pilot, it is pleasing to report a substantial growth of GCIS-managed digital platforms, which achieved over a 1.4 billion reach in 2025/26,” the Minister said.
Media engagement
In an effort to expand its reach through local languages, the revised media engagement strategy will place greater emphasis on community media.
“The reviewed media engagement approach emphasises both the proactive and reactive elements, which are supported by a strong media monitoring capacity.
“The media monitoring function identifies narratives needing responses or amplification. On the proactive front, the revised media engagement approach supports the implementation of Departmental, Provincial, or Local Government Communication Plans,” Ntshavheni said.
During the 2026/27 financial year, the GCIS will strengthen monitoring of government communication plans at both compliance and substantive levels.
Budget allocation
The total budget allocation for GCIS over the 2026/27, 2027/28 and 2028/29 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) period amounts to R2.503 billion.
This represents a 3.15% decrease compared to the 2025/26 allocation.
This budget is allocated as follows per year:
- 2026/27: R803, 246 million;
- 2027/28: R837, 030 million; and
- 2028/29: R863, 045 million.
Of the 2026/27 allocation, R262.523 million is earmarked for transfers and subsidies. This includes R218.349 million for Brand South Africa and R41.924 million for the Media Development and Diversity Agency.
An operating budget of R535.067 million has been allocated, including R324.517 million for employee compensation to support 500 permanent positions, and R210.550 million for goods and services. -SAnews.gov.za
