Pretoria - The South African Local Government Association (Salga) will next week pilot its first news agency on behalf of local governments in the country.
Salga on Wednesday said the initiative, Local Government News Agency, will be piloted at the upcoming 2016 Salga National Conference taking place from 28 November to 1 December 2016.
The agency is a 22-member newsroom operated by nine Salga provincial and national communicators, nine media trainees, and editor Meli Ncube, who will oversee the flow of content.
“The team will be divided into various categories and beats. Some will act as reporters and photographers, while others will focus on multimedia and social media, which is becoming a highly contested space.
“The output of the news agency will be conference bulletins, online news, social media content, media releases and knowledge products,” said the association.
Salga’s Head of Communication, Tahir Sema, said the agency will produce informative and newsworthy stories to enhance the general profile of Salga and local government.
“Most importantly, it will serve to inform and educate the public and members about the good story of local government. This will give rise to an alternative narrative, one that is beneficial to local government projects,” Sema said.
The main aim of the news agency is to tell the good stories of local government and to profile some of their innovations.
Salga’s Marketing and Communication Officer in the Northern Cape, Thotoane Shale, says the news agency should heighten ongoing efforts to profile local government.
“There is so much happening in the local government space, which you don’t see in mainstream media. We need to be able to tell our own story to inform the 52 million South Africa’s, who will not necessary have access to (our) national conference.”
The Salga National Conference is the highest decision-making structure and brings together mayors, city managers, and chief financial officers from 257 municipalities under one roof.
It is held every five years in terms of the Salga Constitution and will elect the new National Executive Committee to serve in the new local government term 2017 - 2022. - SAnews.gov.za
