Deputy Minister Kenny Morolong: Portfolio Committee Oversight Visit

Madamme Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee Members of the Committee
GCIS Management Ladies and Gentlemen Madume
Let me take this opportunity to thank the portfolio committee for this important visit to our offices. We are looking forward to fruitful engagements with you as the public representatives of our people.
Chairperson

Communication and the dissemination of information are central tenets of a functioning democratic government. It is no accident therefore that this function is a constitutional injuction.

An appreciation and understanding of this premise will ensure that we fulfill the prescripts of the Constitution, including political, social and other rights.

The injuction to which I earlier referred, obliges government to provide timely and acurrate information about its policies and activities. However, this information sharing and dissemination must take into account the changing media landscape and information consumption patterns in the digital era.

What does this mean in actual practice? A number of things need to be changed.

The GCIS must ensure that it uses the multiplier force of strategic partnerships to creatively develop and implement platforms that will inform South Africans about government’s agenda of social transformation.

In ensuring that we carry out our twin mandate as it relates to coordination: we have network of communicators across the three spheres of government.
This network provides for a powerful mechanism (if coordinated effectively) to improve the flow of our messages.
Of course, it makes sense for campaigns and strategies to be managed within the relevant departments, however, we need to co– ordinate more effectively across government.

We must build on the professional capacity of government communications so that we can increase public awareness and understanding of government policies and programmes.

We also need to understand and respond to the extraordinary growth in new media and use these channels to build new bridges between government and those on whose behalf it governs.
Chairperson,

Community media plays a vital role in promoting social change, empowering marginalized communities, and fostering democracy. This sector empowers marginalized voices, fostering community engagement, promoting social change, democratizing media, and supporting local development.

Government’s international agenda is intrinsically linked to the national developmental agenda. The question going forward is: how do we ensure that South Africans in all sectors understand and appreciate the value of international engagements in attaining domestic priorities? The upcoming G20 provides an opportunity for us to galvanize our energies.

I hope that the engagements today will move government communications to a higher level and ensure that we raise our standards of communicating with the public.
This visit by your Committee is a humble reminder: that we dare not forget that we carry the hopes of many South Africans who have entrusted us with their lives.

Thank You.