STRATEGIC PLAN
GOVERNMENT COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION SYSTEM (GCIS) 2007 - 2010
Aim
The
aim of GCIS is to provide a comprehensive communication system on behalf of
government to facilitate the participation of all South Africans in governance,
reconstruction and development, nation-building and reconciliation.
Strategic
overview and key policy developments
GCIS
is responsible for developing and consolidating the government communication
system which, through dynamic co-ordination, ensures that the public is
informed about government’s programmes, policies and plans.
GCIS
is primarily responsible for communication between government and its citizens.
Importance is placed on development communication which provides people with
information enabling them to participate actively in improving their lives and
the well-being of the nation. Emphasis is also placed on direct interactive
communication, especially with people in disadvantaged areas.
GCIS’
key objectives include fostering a more positive communication environment to
improve relations with the media, advertising agencies and other sectors;
having a clear understanding of the information needs of the public, as well as
those of government; setting high standards for government communication; and
democratising the communication environment.
Other key strategic focus areas include:
· Promoting
a more efficient GCIS by improving the use of information technology (IT) in
communication and developing the core competencies of communicators.
· Expanding
capacity to facilitate quick and accurate analysis and timeous action and response
to the public, media and government departments.
· Providing
professional media and communication services to government.
· Assisting
in developing government media, communication and information policy.
· Ensuring
that information about government programmes and services is accessible to the
public and extending the infrastructure of access to government information. This
involves driving intersectoral structures to co-ordinate roll-out of Thusong
Service Centres/multi-purpose community centres (MPCCs) and working with the South
African Local Government Association (SALGA) to promote Thusong Service Centre involvement
of local municipalities and to enhance municipal communication capacity.
· Integrating
and co-ordinating the international marketing of
· Promoting
media development and diversity through institutional support for the Media
Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA) which provides support to the community
and small commercial media projects.
VISION
Helping
to meet the communication and information needs of government and the public,
to ensure a better life for all.
GCIS’
mission is to provide leadership in government communication and ensure that
the public is informed of government’s implementation of its mandate.
STRATEGIC
OBJECTIVE
The
overarching strategic objective of GCIS is to enhance the government
communication system and its operations in ways that contribute to the process
of further consolidating our democracy and taking the country onto a higher
growth and development path.
GCIS
APPROACH
This objective will be achieved by having the following elements
in our strategic approach:
1.
Providing leadership in government communication
and ensuring better performance by the communication system
GCIS must take responsibility
for ensuring government is communicating interactively with the public and for
the communication of government’s vision and approaches to broad areas. GCIS
needs to be at the forefront of analysis of the communication environment so
that it can identify initiatives to be taken in enhancing the work of
government and responding effectively when required.
2.
Building
a framework of communication partnerships informed by an encompassing vision
around common development objectives
GCIS must take overall
responsibility for promoting partnership among all communicators, inside and
outside of government, in articulating a shared vision and value system for a
caring society and in broadening access to the means of receiving and imparting
information and ideas. This includes improving relations with the media and
with communicators in parastatal bodies and the private sector, including in
international marketing efforts.
3.
Promoting
awareness of the opportunities that democracy has brought and how to access
them
GCIS will need to intensify the provision of basic
information to the public about the rights of citizens and how to take
advantage of government’s socio-economic programmes as well as about the
general process of policy development and implementation. Attention will be
needed to improve the quality of information products and the effectiveness of
distribution strategies in reaching all citizens, in every sector of society
and every part of the country.
4.
Promoting
awareness of the institutions and programmes of continental and regional
integration and development
Given the critical role of the regional
environment and the development of our continent, GCIS should encourage and
lead campaigns across government and society to enhance public awareness of
developments in the region and the continent and promote engagement with
regional and continental institutions and programmes. Attention should be paid
to profiling the benefits of African development to both our country and
continent.
5. Communication research and information
The government communication system
as a whole needs to base its work on soundly researched approaches. GCIS will
play a key role in identifying areas of communications research as well as
receiving relevant research reports from other sectors. Furthermore, intimate
knowledge of government’s policies, programmes and implementation is essential
to further enhance communication. There is therefore a need to package
information on government’s Programme of Action (PoA).
KEY
ISSUES
In pursuing the elements of this approach,
while giving ongoing attention to a range of actions, GCIS will pay special
attention to certain critical communication initiatives which should catalyse a
general enhancement of the communication system and its operation.
1. Providing leadership to government communication and better
communication performance by the state
Special attention to:
·
Strengthening and
integrating the government communication system. This will take the form of heads
of communication (HoCs) being part of the pool of project leaders, taking
greater responsibility for transversal campaigns.
·
Maintaining a clearly
understood cycle beginning with end-of-year evaluations, development of the
Government Communication Strategy and Communication Programme, and finalisation
of departmental and cluster plans/strategies.
·
Improving across
government the system of monitoring, and responsive and proactive communication
around public discourse, along with partnerships of GCIS with others in and
outside government in building a value system for social cohesion in a caring
society.
Ongoing attention to:
·
Better integration
across government in communication, budgeting for communication, and in
understanding policies and the PoA.
·
Developing capacity of
provincial and local government communication.
· More effective internal communication in
government, including communication to enhance understanding of policies in
order to promote more effective implementation of programmes and delivery of
services.
· More effective tools of interaction with the
public, improving the quality of our products, enhancing existing platforms and
introducing new ones and improving relations with the media.
· Ensuring that the Imbizo approach of
interactive governance takes root throughout government.
· Better assessment of the impact of our
communication, including peer assessment by communicators and the public.
· Sustaining the GCIS Peer Review Process to
ensure that in the medium term a uniform standard of excellence is achieved
among HoCs.
· An active GCIS role in advising communication
components on their development requirements and in ensuring that government
communication capacity matches the needs.
· Encouraging communicators to acquire the
Professional Certificate in Government Communication and Marketing.
· GCIS assistance in content development,
branding and quality control over critical information products, including
government websites.
·
Working with the IMC,
GCIS must continue to play a greater role in co-ordinating government’s efforts
and enhancing the communication capacity of critical South African missions and
including them in the government communication system.
·
Recognising excellence
in government communication through the Government Communicators’ Awards.
· Ensuring wider use of BuaNews.
2.
Building
a framework of communication partnerships
Special attention to:
·
Working towards an active partnership
among the country’s communicators.
Ongoing attention to:
·
Better interaction with communication
practitioners in parastatals and the private sector, and a new mindset and
paradigm in government to relate to sectoral partners in both policy and
communication processes.
·
Articulating and communicating a shared
and unifying vision for the decade to 2014, informed by the new five-year
mandate of government and with a common understanding of challenges and
achievements.
·
Consolidating partnerships in Thusong
Service Centres, publications, the MDDA, IMC, training of communicators and
other projects.
·
Ensuring that all government communicators,
across departments and spheres, work in partnership informed by the common
vision.
·
Helping transform the
media and advertising industry and through the MDDA helping to establish and
sustain community and small commercial media.
·
Developing closer
relations with agenda-setters.
·
Building partnership with the media, in
particular key partners like the public broadcaster; implementing
recommendations of the Cabinet/South African National Editors’ Forum (Sanef)
Indaba and sustaining such interaction.
· Encouraging the replication of communication
partnerships at provincial and local level.
3.
Promoting awareness of the
opportunities that democracy has brought and how to access them
Special attention to:
·
A sustained government-wide campaign on
opportunities that have emerged with democracy (across all clusters, not just
economic), building on the campaign on economic opportunities.
Ongoing attention to:
· Ensuring awareness among intended
beneficiaries of the opportunities for socio-economic development that
government programmes offer and how to access them.
· Effective assessment of the reach of our
communication and the quality of products, including attention to accessibility
and language.
· Strengthening unmediated communication,
including through radio, imbizo, development communication and Vuk’uzenzele.
· Integrated communication through community development
workers (CDWs), Thusong Service Centres and Internet.
·
Better research into
public information needs.
·
Combining communication
in support of Second Economy interventions with communication to promote
job-creating growth of the First Economy.
· Enhancing relations between GCIS and the
Policy Co-ordination and Advisory Services (PCAS) unit in The Presidency to
achieve better understanding of the implementation and impact of government’s PoA,
and of information and communication needs, so that GCIS is better able to
communicate government’s implementation of its mandate.
4.
Promoting awareness of the institutions
and programmes of continental and regional integration and development
Special attention to:
·
Sustained profiling of the benefits of
African development to
Ongoing attention to:
·
Promoting better working relations
between government communication structures and the New Partnership for
·
Mobilising society to become active
participants.
·
Promoting popular/stakeholder
participation in continental/regional institutions.
·
Popularising the vision of a shared
destiny for the country, region and continent and linking national interest to
mutual development.
5.
A more effective, efficient and
well-informed GCIS
Special attention to:
·
Improving application of research in
the work of GCIS and government communication as a whole, and continued
institutionalisation of project management in GCIS, both in service delivery
and in the development of the organisation, through the Enterprise Project
Management Initiative which must help ensure continuous alignment of GCIS to
the needs of the people.
Ongoing attention to:
·
Various forms of research to identify
public communication needs, and the impact of government communication on the
public and within the media.
·
Ensuring the adoption of standard
methodologies across government, and improving integration of the research
agenda.
·
Developing a set of core competencies
which its communicators must possess.
·
Better and fuller use by GCIS of information
and communications technologies (ICTs), both in the management of the
organisation and in communication.
·
Using all measures, including
development plans and clear target-setting to enhance staff performance and the
attainment of excellence.
·
Greater integration of work by the
different components.
·
Instilling in GCIS the culture of
learning from our experiences.
Key campaigns for 2007/08
THEME ONE: Governance and Administration
Focus issues:
· Batho Pele
Revitalisation
· Anti-Corruption campaign
· Strengthening
internal communication within the Public Service.
THEME TWO: International Relations, Peace and Security
Focus issues:
· Nepad/African
Union/Southern African Development Community (SADC)
· Focussed
communication support to international conferences
· African Peer
Review Mechanism
· World Trade Organisation
and other negotiations.
THEME THREE: Economic, Investment and
Employment
Focus issues:
· Accelerated and Shared
Growth Initiative for
· Second Economy communication,
including a mass campaign on economic opportunities
· Broad-Based
Black Economic Empowerment (BEE)
· Taxi Recapitalisation
and road safety.
THEME FOUR: Justice, Crime
Prevention and Security
Focus issues:
· Anti-crime
campaign
· 365 Days
Programme and National Action Plan Against Gender Violence and 16 Days of
Activism
· Civic education and transformation of the judiciary.
THEME FIVE: Social Sector
Focus issues:
· National identity
and social cohesion
· National Youth
Service Programme
· National commemorative
days and anniversaries
· National Orders.
THEME SIX: Transversal campaigns
· Imbizo
· Implementation
of the National Strategic Plan for HIV and AIDS
· 2010 FIFA World
Cup
· State of the
Nation Address (SONA)
· Safer Holidays campaign.
THEME SEVEN: GCIS projects
· Transformation
of the marketing, communication and advertising industry.
Administration is responsible for management and provides support services to the
department. Its functions are human resource HR) management, internal audit,
IT, financial management, procurement, and auxiliary services. The Project Desk
provides project management and co-ordination services to cross-cutting projects
driven by GCIS and on behalf of other departments.
Policy
and Research provides communication
policy and research services. It ensures that communication products are
informed by the public’s information needs, through research that aims to
identify what government information the public is interested in. It assists in
assessing, from a communication perspective, the impact of government programmes
and monitors its implementation. Having managed the process towards
establishing the MDDA, it continues to give institutional support to the agency.
The objectives are achieved through
three subprogrammes:
· Management provides
overall leadership, management and planning of activities.
· Policy contributes to
developing policy on the media, communication and information, and monitors
government policy in general and its impact from a communication perspective.
· Research assesses government
and public information and communication needs and evaluates government
communication initiatives and products.
Recent output
Policy
and Research has continued to organise and co-ordinate the izimbizo of The Presidency and National
Imbizo Week, and has recently, in co-operation with The Presidency and the
Department of Provincial and Local Government, managed a review that has
initiated closer alignment of izimbizo with development programmes articulated
in the Integrated Development Plan, Local Economic Development (LED), five-year
plans and the National Strategic Development Perspective.
The
unit has continued to maintain and develop further an information system to
process issues arising out of the interaction afforded by imbizo, in consultation with other
relevant information management systems.
Communication
support for government’s Second Economy initiatives included the updating of
the publication on economic opportunities and how to access them, and special
attention to the process towards the establishment of the National Partnership
to Expand Second Economy Communication, launched at a conference in November
2006.
Having
initiated the setting up of the South African Chapter of the SADC Media Awards
and the establishment of the National Adjudication Committee, it continues to
provide institutional support to the chapter and committee. The Media Content
Analysis Project has continued to provide government with insight into how the media
report on government and its PoA. To enhance effective government
communication, research and information products were made available to
government departments and Cabinet.
Medium-term output targets
2 Policy and Research
|
Measurable objective: Inform
government communication policy and strategy with results of research and
analyses of trends in the communication environment |
|||
|
Subprogramme |
Output |
Measure/Indicators |
Target |
|
Management |
Strategic
leadership and integration of the work of the subprogrammes; and liaison with
other departments and The Presidency |
Regular
and good quality output |
Timeous and
quality work as required and according to the annual cycle of governance |
|
Policy |
Reports
on and analyses the development and implementation of government policy from
a communication perspective |
Effectiveness of analyses |
Daily
analysis; Regular reports; proposed policies adopted |
|
Research |
Research
and information gathering to enhance effective government communication |
Effectiveness
of research initiatives on government communication |
Regular
advice and products in response to
requests and needs |
Programme 3: Government and Media Liaison
(G&ML)
G&ML
provides strategic communication support to government departments and
institutions by convening communicators’ forums, providing an effective government
news service and by building and maintaining good relations with national and
foreign media. It facilitates the development of communication strategies by
clusters, national departments and provinces within the framework of the
national communication strategy.
Apart
from the management, there are four subprogrammes which perform the following
functions:
· National Liaison co-ordinates
strategic communication activities and programmes across government.
·
International
and Media Liaison is responsible for ongoing media
liaison services and co-ordinates international communication and marketing
programmes in collaboration with other stakeholders.
·
News
Services provides
government and development-related news and information to community media and
national and international mainstream media
·
the Parliamentary Office provides strategic communication support to government
departments, is responsible for liaison with parliamentary correspondents and
provides information service to members of Parliament (MPs) and the public
· The Communication
Centre monitors the national, international, electronic and print
media to provide government with information on media coverage that is relevant
to its various line functions.
Service-delivery
objectives and indicators
Recent
output
During
the past year, four bimonthly cluster media briefings on the implementation of
the Government’s PoA were held. The briefings contributed to more informed
media assessment of the implementation of the programme. A media briefing by
the President was held following the mid-year Cabinet Lekgotla in July.
Co-ordination
across government has improved and all communication co-ordination structures
are functioning effectively. Three Government Communicators’ Forum (GCF) meetings
were held. All communication clusters
held their monthly meetings.
Meetings
were held with editors and senior journalists of the country’s leading media as
part of the ongoing process of building and maintaining good working relations
with the media. Three media-networking sessions took place where government
communicators and members of the media met informally and shared ideas on a
range of issues.
The
programme participated in the formation of the 2010 National Communication
Partnership which unites
The Parliamentary
Office has continuously assisted government departments with media-liaison
services and exhibitions.
The Communication
Centre provided media-monitoring services to government departments and
agencies.
Measurable objective: Effective communication of government’s
message through integrated communication strategies, improved liaison with
national and foreign media and better co-ordination of communication activities
across government.
Medium-term
output targets
3 Government and Media Liaison
|
Measurable
objective: Effective communication of government
activities through development of communication strategies and services for
local and foreign media and government departments |
|
Subprogramme |
Output |
Measure/indicator |
Target |
|
National Liaison |
Management of communicators’
co-ordinating structures Facilitation of strategy development |
Communicators’ forums meet regularly Cluster communication strategies approved by Cabinet Government
Communicator’s Handbook Bua
Magazine |
Three GCF meetings a year Three MLO Forum meetings a year Three Provincial HOCs meetings with
GCIS Secretariat Monthly meetings of communication
clusters Pre-Cabinet meetings a week before
scheduled Cabinet meetings Cabinet adoption of strategies in
April Government
Communicators Handbook is released and distributed once in
two years Four electronic Bua Magazine issues a year |
|
International and Media Liaison |
Ongoing media liaison Maintaining good relations with the
media |
Better and more informed media
reporting on the work of government Better co-operation and improved
relations |
Media briefings after State of the Nation
Address Four cluster media briefings on the PoA Post mid-year Cabinet Lekgotla
briefing One meeting between government and
editors Four media-networking sessions |
|
News Services |
Production and distribution of
government and development news |
News and feature articles produced a
day and used by media |
Three news issues per day and one
feature article a week |
|
Parliamentary Office |
Communication and media liaison
support to government departments in Parliament Information service to MPs and the
public Maintaining good relations with the
Parliamentary Press Gallery Association (PGA) and local media Strengthening partnership with
Parliament |
Successful media events held Informed legislators and public being
kept informed of government’s PoA Better co-ordination and improved
relations Co-ordination of media opportunities
at Parliament |
Cluster media briefings following the
SONA Budget Vote briefings Four cluster media briefings Post-Cabinet media briefings Provision of information as required Open days for the public Three media-networking sessions with the
PGA Regular meetings with Parliament’s
media team |
|
Communication Centre |
Production/
distribution of press clippings. Electronic media
monitoring |
Timely
dissemination of products and reports to various clients |
Daily
dissemination to government departments and South African missions abroad |
P&LL provides a development
communication and information service in liaison with provincial and local
government and community organisations, and extends government’s information
infrastructure. It facilitates the establishment of Thusong
· Management is responsible
for the overall responsibility, management and planning of the programme
· Regional Co-ordination provides
a range of support services to regional offices in implementing their
development-communication mandate but also assists in co-ordinating
partnerships nationally within and outside government for utilising the
services and products of GCIS regional offices
· Regional directorates promote
government’s development-communication mandate by identifying and meeting
public needs for government information and supporting communication campaigns
in partnership with provincial and local government.
Service-delivery
objectives and indicators
Recent output
Eighty-six district
GCIS offices have been established in local municipalities and Thusong
One hundred and
seven P&LL staff completed training in development communication, financial
administration for non-financial staff and general administration. Support to
communication structures at local government level has taken the form of
provincial workshops focusing on the implementation plan for a system of local
government communication as well as by work sessions with stakeholders.
A handbook has
been developed to guide the establishment of government information resource centres
and regularise the manner in which the GCIS regional offices assist national
departments in distributing their information products. Training in development
communication has been undertaken in all provinces as well as with 10 national
departments. A set of guidelines has been developed for the roll-out of
audiovisual centres in Thusong Service Centres, emanating from the partnership
between the GCIS and the Film Resource Unit.
P&LL participated in the arrangement of the second National Conference
on Local Government Communication during which comprehensive guidelines for
local government communication were adopted. Subsequently, 27 of the 46
districts nationwide have established district communication forums.
Comprehensive regional support was given to the mass campaign on economic
opportunities, including communication support to the establishment of district
LED forums and the district growth and development
summits.
Medium-term
output targets
4 Provincial and Local
Liaison
|
Measurable objective: Disseminate
government information and communicate with the public through the
establishment of one-stop information centres and networks to integrate
communication at local government level |
|||
|
Subprogramme |
Output |
Measure/Indicators |
|
|
Management |
Strategic
leadership and communication partnerships |
Regular
meetings and support for the Chief Directorate |
Bi-Monthly |
|
Regional Co-ordination |
Support services Co-ordination of capacity-building Support to national
Thusong Monitor the
communication campaigns of regional offices according to set standards Development-communication
partnerships Support to
communication structures at local government level |
According to PLL systems Training for regional directorates According to standards
set in the second-generation business plan Functional Ward Information
Management System Joint campaigns,
training and information sessions and regular meetings with communication
structures at national, provincial and local level Development of systems
and structures |
March 2008 3 meetings of the
NISSC Monthly M&E
reports Annual Thusong Thusong Rollout of Thusong Weekly and monthly
reports Regular meetings Provincial capacity-building
sessions with provincial local government core teams (one per province each
year) Guidelines for local
government communication systems adopted by
all provincial and municipal forums All district municipalities
with communication strategies by 2008 |
|
Regional offices |
Rural distribution
network and channels for government information Community information
projects Thusong Establishment of district
GCIS offices |
Identification of
contact points in communities to facilitate distribution Communication and
information projects based on community information needs Establishment of
Thusong Additional information
centres established each year |
Steady expansion of
contact points Projects to meet needs
as assessed As per the guidelines
of the second-generation Thusong Service Centre Strategy As per staffing plan
of districts and available funds |
The CSA produces communication products and
provides services such as media bulk-buying; the production of videos, radio
programmes and photographs; content development; design; and the marketing and
distribution of government material. It consists of four subprogrammes:
·
Management is
responsible for overall leadership, management and planning of the programme.
·
Marketing,
Advertising and Distribution manages the corporate identity of
government and develops strategies for marketing, distribution, event
management and advertising for inclusion in campaign and project plans for
government. It also handles the bulk-buying of media space for government
advertising.
·
Product
Development develops broadcast strategies for inclusion in campaign and
project communication plans. It is responsible for the production of videos and
radio programmes for other departments. The subprogramme also produces
advertisements, documentaries and information and promotional products. It also
provides a comprehensive graphic design, layout, and exhibition design service
as well as a photographic service to government clients.
·
Content
Development is responsible for developing content strategy and key
messages for government information products in consultation with the rest of
the department. It provides an ad hoc
publication and editorial service to government clients and annually produces
the SA Yearbook and Pocket Guide to South Africa. It also
produced the Style Guide for Government
Communicators.
Service-delivery objectives and
indicators
Recent output
The
CSA continued to provide core communication services to The Presidency,
government departments and state organs such as Parliament and the
legislatures. Over 590 requests for communication services were received and
handled through the rendering of in-house radio, video, design and content
development services, outsourcing and through mechanisms such as media
placement and bulk-buying.
The
CSA produces publicity material for the mass multimedia campaign around the SoNA
every year. The development of new communication platforms for sectors of
society with least access to media continued with new formats being utilised,
aimed at LSM 1 − 6 target publics. These included a five-episode photo
story in three official languages placed in various newspapers as well as a
five-series radio drama in all official languages, aimed at popularising the
content of the 2006 SoNA. Two million copies of the 2006 Programme of Action
were produced in all official languages and distributed. Post-testing and
impact analysis of the 2006 SONA campaign informed the 2007 SONA campaign
approach and product suite.
The
CSA contributed to video and photographic coverage of the National Orders award
ceremonies in April and September 2006, and provided editing, design and layout
services for the production of programmes for these ceremonies, as well as
photo albums and video programmes for The Presidency to commemorate the events.
As
in previous years, the CSA contributed to multimedia products for the 16 Days
of Activism campaign, the Imbizo campaigns,
the celebrations of various anniversaries as well as Youth Month and Women’s
Month. Content development advice for various products was provided to several
departments, including water affairs and forestry, labour, social development,
public service and administration, land affairs, health and The Presidency.
In 2006/07 45
000 copies of the SA Yearbook were
printed of which 27 000 were distributed to schools. The Yearbook was produced on interactive CD-ROM. Twenty thousand copies
of the fourth edition of the Pocket Guide
to South Africa were printed.
The CSA also continued leading GCIS involvement in
the process towards the transformation of the marketing, advertising and
communication industry. Regular monthly meetings with the industry were
convened, through the Monitoring and Steering Committee for the Marketing,
Advertising and Communication Industry. In collaboration with National Treasury
and the Association for Communication and Advertising, the CSA developed Best
Practice Guidelines for the Procurement of Advertising to facilitate
participation by emerging BEE companies in government contracts. The guidelines
have been introduced to government communicators, counterparts in parastatals
and industry members through workshops.
During 2006/07, placement of advertisements for 21
departments was facilitated, with water affairs and forestry, agriculture,
social development, and labour being the most frequent. The CSA briefed 237
media briefs to the GCIS bulk-buying agency and implemented 112 campaigns. 718
brief revisions were requested out of the 237 briefs submitted, i.e. 718
separate schedules were completed at an average of three per campaign.
Multimedia publicity campaigns around izimbizo and the 16 Days of Activism
campaign were also co-ordinated. The CSA co-ordinated the distribution of
information products through the South African Post Office, GCIS regional
offices, libraries, schools, clinics, non-governmental organisations,
community-based organisations and MPCCs.
Four panels, namely, advertising, public relations, event
management and audio-visual production, have been actively utilised for various
government campaigns.
The development of an electronic version of the Corporate Identity Manual is under way.
Ongoing training for individual departments is under way to ensure
implementation of prescripts of the manual.
Between
The CSA Video Unit received 24 requests for editing and the production of
video programmes and advertisements. These included Day of the African Child,
the KeMoja anti-drug campaign, and programmes that the Minister of Public
Service and Administration used during her addresses at international events
such as the Commonwealth Association of Public Administration and Management
that was held in
The CSA Photographic Unit provided The Presidency with photographic
coverage of all major events, izimbizo,
meetings of presidential councils, the handing over of credentials, state
visits, the 2006 and 2007 SONAs and National Orders award ceremonies. The unit
provided photographic support to the SA Yearbook, the Pocket Guide to
The CSA Design and Exhibition Unit received more than 100 requests and
contributed to various government campaigns through design, development and the
production of information products. This included the programmes for State
visits, official funerals and National Orders award ceremonies, promotional
material and information products for Freedom Day celebrations, Youth Month
celebrations, the Government Communicator’s
Awards, the 16 Days of Activism campaign, municipal imbizo events and promotional and information
material for the mass multimedia campaign around the President’s SONA.
Between
Medium-term output targets
5. Communication Service Agency
|
Subprogramme |
Output |
Measure/Indicator |
Target |
|
Management |
Strategic leadership |
Regular
meetings and support for heads of CSA sections |
Weekly management meetings |
|
Marketing, Advertising and Distribution |
Insightful and
creative briefs for advertising agencies Management and
development of media placement campaigns |
Number of
advertising/PR campaigns to be implemented Number of media
placement briefs to be implemented |
11 campaigns per year 80 media placement campaigns |
|
Marketing
and distribution strategies and plans |
Number of marketing and distribution
strategies drafted and managed per year |
Six major campaigns |
|
|
Equitable advertising reports Research on the
Advertising Transformation Index |
Number of advertising spend reports per year Research report benchmarked against the previous year’s report |
Four per year One per year |
|
|
|
Management of
marketing and PR activities for GCIS and government |
Adherence to GCIS processes and systems with regard to accessing
services Increase in requests for assistance from other departments |
Per year: One marketing audit Five road shows (government) Two road shows (external stakeholders) Two evaluation sessions |
|
Content Development |
SA Yearbook Coherent integration of content and
creative representation in communication campaigns |
Produce SA Yearbook and side
products on time and within budget Demonstrated by information products and improved public impact |
45 000 soft cover copies by March 2007. 27 000 distributed to schools Review of content strategy |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Product development (audio-visual) |
Comprehensive product- development service in support of key
government information campaigns |
Relevant audio packages produced for CRS Flighting agreements with CRS fostered and maintained Agreement with public broadcaster and other stakeholders for
fighting/broadcasting of CSA video programmes Production of relevant video programmes on key government programmes
and events for distribution to the public Production of radio advertisements |
60 live link-ups per year with CRS Visit 35 radio stations in four provinces during 2007 Recording of 66 events,
production of two advertisements and development of 11 video
programmes Seven Talk-to-your-Minister programmes. Live coverage of President and
Deputy President izimbizo and
Opening of Parliament 45 radio advertisements on request for departments |
|
Product development (photographic and design) |
|
Photographic images of all major government events and key programmes
documented for archival purposes and for use in GCIS publications and the
media Design, development and production/printing of government information
products Assist with management of Corporate Identity |
Coverage of 200 photographic events on key government activities 100 designs including the SONA
tabloid/magazine in all official languages, five episodes of the SONA photostory, design and layout of GCIS Annual
Report 20 x assistance with government branding |
The International
Marketing and Media Development Programme consists of transfer payments to the
two public entities under the control of the department, namely the IMC and the
MDDA. The programme aims to market
This
programme commenced in 2001/02 as International Marketing and Mobilisation and
was allocated R50 million. The budget was increased by 25,4% from 2002/03 to
2003/04 to R62,7 million with the establishment of the IMC being governed by a
trust deed. The increase was mainly due to the high international marketing
costs that are paid in foreign currency. From 2004/05, the programme changed to
International Marketing and Media Development, which consists of transfer
payments to the IMC of R65,9 million and R7 million to the MDDA. For 2005/06,
the transfer payments for IMC was R69,269 million and R7 million for MDDA while
for 2006/07 the allocations are R83,425 million for the IMC and R9,620 million
for the MDDA.
Over
the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) period, the IMC’s transfer
increases with additional allocations of R14 million in 2007/08, R15 million in
2008/09 and R16 million in 2009/10 for activities in preparation for the 2010
FIFA World Cup.
The
MDDA’s baseline has been increased by R2 million in 2007/08, R2,1 million in
2008/09 and R2,2 million in 2009/10 for operational activities.
The
total allocations over the MTEF period are:
|
|
IMC |
MDDA |
|
2007/08 |
R111
096 000 |
R11
991 000 |
|
2008/09 |
R126
722 000 |
R12
558 000 |
|
2009/10 |
R145
291 000 |
R13
709 000 |
These
two entities are now firmly established, and conduct their activities according
to the prescripts of the Public Finance Management Act, 1999 (Act 1 of 1999), and
report directly to Parliament on an annual basis.
The Vuk’uzenzele programme produces and
distributes Vuk’uzenzele magazine,
which provides the public with information on economic and other opportunities
and how to access them. The magazine is produced and distributed every two
months in three versions, namely, printed copies, Braille and Internet.
Service-delivery objectives and
indicators
Recent output
Since
its launch in September 2005, Vuk’uzenzele
has been produced every two months and distributed in all nine provinces in
urban, rural, semi-rural and deep rural areas with particular focus on the poorer
sectors of society. All official languages are used. The print run of the 32-
page magazine was 1, 1 million copies in the first year. A two-million
print-run bumper edition in March 2006 and March 2007 included a 16-page insert
on government’s PoA for the year as outlined in the President’s SONA...
For
each edition, 600 copies of Braille are printed and distributed to
organisations for the blind and individual subscribers.
A
web version of the magazine is published for each edition.
The
magazine is regularly promoted through radio and posters. In the initial period,
television was also used to establish its presence. Research to assess reader’s
response to the magazine is in progress.
Medium-term output targets
7. Government magazine
– Vuk’uzenzele
|
Measurable objective: To produce and distribute a magazine that
enhances government’s unmediated and direct communication |
|||
|
Subprogramme |
Output |
Measure/Indicator |
Target |
|
Management |
Strategic leadership |
Regular
meetings and support for Vuk’uzenzele staff |
Weekly meetings |
|
Vuk’uzenzele |
Printing
of the magazine |
Regular
publication of target number of the magazine |
Every second month with a print run of 1,4
million and 2 million for the March edition |
|
Production
of Braille and web-version of the magazine |
Regular production of Braille and publication
of the web-version |
Every second month, with 600 copies in Braille |
|
|
Promotion
of the magazine |
Increased public awareness, demand and
readership, assessed through own research, All Media Products Survey and
calls to Gateway Call-Centre |
Steady increase in awareness, readership and readership response |
|
|
|
Distribution of the
magazine |
Extended reach among targeted public, assessed
through the Audit Bureau or Circulation |
Every second month |
INTRODUCTION
Three
areas underpin the main services provided by GCIS to its clients:
1.
The conceptualisation, formulation, communication and implementation of the
Government Communication Strategy, referred to as the custodian of the
Government Communication Strategy, which is supported by two subprocesses:
·
identification of public information
needs
·
identification of government’s
communication needs.
2.
The second process is that of co-ordination and strategic support. This works
at two levels:
· national,
provincial, and local government communicators
· political
principals.
This process refers to the development
of government communication strategies (based on public information needs and
government communication needs), the establishment of communication structures,
the role of government spokespersons and the development of communication
products and servicing of political principals.
3.
The third refers to the actual communication and implementation aspects. This
works at two levels:
· the role
GCIS plays in relation to advising on staffing and structure
· the
development of products and the rendering of services.
Based
on the above introductory remarks, the main services and customers will be
tabulated:
|
TABLE
1.1 MAIN SERVICES FOR THE SERVICE-DELIVERY IMPROVEMENT AND STANDARDS |
|||
|
Main services |
Actual/ potential customers |
Standard of service |
Actual achievements against
standards |
|
1. Formulating and administration of media policy |
Media |
Media policies developed and properly administered |
The Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA) Act,
2002 (Act 14 of 2002), was developed and is being fully implemented. The MDDA
seeks to promote media diversity in the country. |
|
2. Media monitoring |
The Presidency, government departments and ministers |
To conduct daily media monitoring |
Daily media monitoring has been done and reports submitted
to all relevant stakeholders for implementation and follow-up |
|
3. Conducting surveys to assess impact and reach of
communication (pre- and post-testing) |
Government |
Surveys conducted, resulting in improved government
communication |
Surveys were conducted by the Research Unit and results
presented to all the stakeholders |
|
4. Conducting public information and communication needs
studies |
Public, government |
Information and communication needs studies conducted.
Results incorporated into products and services provided to all stakeholders |
Public information needs and communication preference
studies were done through regional offices, Thusong Service Centres as well
as through research conducted by GCIS Research Unit |
|
5. Providing communication and information research advice
|
Government |
Effectiveness of research-based initiatives (impact on
government communication) established through monitoring and analysis |
11 projects successfully completed and research findings
presented |
|
6. Providing media support services |
Parliament, Cabinet, Press Gallery and ministerial liaison
officers (MLOs) |
Provided, among other things, through the Information
Resource Centre (IRC), information services to Members of Parliament, the
public and the diplomatic corps. |
The Parliamentary Office recorded 1 479 (134/month)
physical visit enquiries and 504 enquiries requiring more than two hours attention
and a total of 8 165 (742/month)
telephone enquiries during the 11 months April-February 2006/07 |
|
Provided strategic and administrative support to the
Presidential Press Corps and MLOs and media liaison for key events consistent
with the Government's Communication Strategy |
Done |
||
|
7. Arrange fortnightly pre-Cabinet and post-Cabinet
meetings |
Media |
Arranged pre-Cabinet and post-Cabinet briefings to ensure
government’s work is communicated to the public |
Done |
|
8. Holding parliamentary briefing weeks |
Parliament, media and diplomats |
Arranged parliamentary media briefing weeks after the
State of |
Done |
|
9. Assisting South African missions to develop
communication capacity |
Department of Foreign Affairs |
Effective information flow through Department of Foreign
Affairs and International Marketing Council (IMC) |
Done on a weekly basis |
|
10. Providing secretarial services and content and
leadership to the Government Communication Forum (GCF) |
Government communicators |
At least three GCF meetings |
Three meetings took place |
|
11. Accrediting foreign journalists |
Foreign journalists and opinion-makers |
To accredit foreign journalists and media whenever there
are international events |
Done |
|
12. Development of media communication strategies for
government campaigns |
All government departments |
Communication strategies developed and approved by the
communication clusters |
Communication strategies and key messages for government
campaigns developed by all five government communication clusters and
approved. Fortnightly Bua Briefs produced. |
|
13. Developing content strategy and messages for
government information products |
Government |
Content strategy and messages developed for government
information products |
Done |
|
14. Developing content and key messages for products for
transversal campaigns |
Government |
Content and key messages developed for transversal
campaigns products |
Done |
|
15. Developing and managing training of government and
state-owned enterprises’ (SoEs) communication officers |
Communicators and MLOs in all spheres, and SOEs |
Communication officers completing the training they
registered for with the institutions and improving on service delivery |
Communication training plans and programmes developed,
including listing of training offered by service-providers and communicated
to the target audience on a quarterly basis |
|
16. Monitoring, evaluating and analysing print and
electronic media |
The Presidency and all ministries |
Print and electronic media monitored, evaluated and
analysed |
Done on a weekly basis |
|
17. Developing marketing, advertising and distribution
strategies |
The Presidency and all ministries |
Marketing, advertising and distribution strategies
developed and implemented |
Done |
|
18. Managing and administrating bulk-buying |
Government departments, Presidency and Thusong Service
Centres |
Media bulk-buying properly managed and administered |
Done. There are, however, areas that require improvement s.
These are being addressed through the transformation of the marketing, advertising
and communication industry |
|
19. Developing a distribution network |
Government departments and Thusong Service Centres |
Distribution networks developed |
Done |
|
20. Managing the corporate identity (CI) of government. |
Government departments and Thusong Service Centres |
CI of government properly managed |
CI Manual
has been developed and training workshops will be conducted at all
departments next financial year |
|
21. Recording footage for broadcast purposes |
Government |
Footage for radio and television broadcast produced |
25 radio advertisements and 13 video products including
adverts, documentaries and inserts produced |
|
22. Designing and producing publications |
Thusong Service Centres, Cabinet, The Presidency. |
Government information-related publications designed and
produced |
Done |
|
23. Government information website |
Government, public, media, international community |
Government website properly managed |
The website revamp has been completed, with extended
information in some categories, improved arrangement of information and
navigation, and a more consistent user interface |
|
24. Disseminating information |
Government |
Government information disseminated |
Done through Bua News and other information-dissemination
media |
|
25. Developing products for transversal campaigns |
Public, private sector, NGOs. |
Products for transversal campaigns developed |
Done |
|
26. Photographic assignments of transversal campaigns |
Presidency, The government departments and GCIS |
Photographs taken for transversal campaigns |
Done |
|
27. Professional Certificate in Government
Communication and Marketing (PCGCM) |
Government communication officers at national, provincial levels
and parastatals |
Empower government communicators with communication and
marketing skills |
The programme was launched in 2004.
To date 134 communication officers have been trained. |
|
TABLE
1.2 CONSULTATION ARRANGEMENTS FOR CUSTOMERS |
||
|
Type
of arrangements |
Actual
and potential customers |
Actual
achievements |
|
1.
Marketing, Advertising and Distribution The
directorate markets the services GCIS provides to departments, e.g. media
bulk-buying |
The
Presidency, ministers, government departments, all government communicators, ministerial
liaison officers (MLOs), and media |
Clients’
needs are addressed through consultation. This promotes understanding of GCIS
roles and responsibilities in enhancing government communication to help
further consolidate democracy and take the country to a higher growth and
development path. |
|
2.
Cluster meetings Convene
and provide strategic direction to communication clusters, and help assess
the communication environment |
Cluster
meetings were convened and strategic support provided |
|
|
3.
Government Communicators’ Forum (GCF) The
GCF provides strategic direction to communicators. It helps develop
communication strategies in line with the overall strategy. It helps
communicators assess the environment and their communication needs. To ensure
improved services, key performance indicators are used. |
HoCs
and MLOs |
Three
GCF meetings were held to assess the work of government communicators. Based
on this regular interaction and frequent assessments, there is clearer
evidence that the work of government communicators is improving. |
|
4.
Project Desk The
Project Desk is a single entry point for clients to source GCIS expertise for
the communication of government’s programmes and policies |
Scoping
meetings with clients before and after projects ensure that clients’ needs
are fully understood and met. A post-project client questionnaire gives
feedback on GCIS service. Exit reports
for transversal projects are compiled to draw lessons for improved future
output. |
|
|
5.
Multi-Purpose Community Centres (Thusong Service Centres) GCIS is establishing Thusong
Service Centres in every district as one-stop government service centres.
They promote community development and participation and provide feedback on
what information the public requires. |
Clients
are also consulted through GCIS’ nine regional offices and 94 Thusong Service
Centres. This
form of unmediated interaction with the public ensures first-hand feedback
from the public themselves on their government information needs. This
assists GCIS in tailor-making products to meet the needs of the public. |
|
|
6.
Imbizo campaign Feedback
from the President’s and other government role-players’ meetings with the
public and these is forwarded to the planning section of the organisation
concerned |
Presidential
izimbizo and two national focus weeks were conducted, and the
Municipal Imbizo Programme was aligned with Project Consolidate. Through
these initiatives, the executive heard public concerns directly. Feedback mechanisms
have been developed to ensure issues raised by the public are addressed. |
|
|
7.
Electronic Information Resources The
unit provides advice and support to departments and provinces on website
publishing to promote professional government websites. |
Support
was provided to government departments to ensure improved professionalism of
government websites in terms of functionality and design |
|
|
TABLE 1.3 SERVICE DELIVERY ACCESS
STRATEGY |
|
|
Access strategy |
Actual achievements |
|
1. Government website |
Users of the website are citizens, government, media and
international community. Intermediaries (such as Thusong Service Centres),
facilitate use of the website by those unable to directly use the Internet.
The website is updated daily with the latest information on government and
its Programme of Action. |
|
2. Establishment of Multi-Purpose Community Centres (Thusong
Service Centres) |
66 Thusong Service Centres have been established. They
play an important role in providing government-related information and
services to the public and especially those at grassroots level. |
|
3. Establishment of information resource centres (IRCs) |
GCIS has established IRCs in all regional offices around
the country to make government-related information more accessible to the
public. |
|
4. The publishing of information directories |
GCIS produces four directories on a
yearly basis. They are:
|
|
5. Government and Media Liaison |
Has successfully built up BuaNews as an effective
government news agency which disseminates government news and information to
community media, mainstream and international media electronically. |
|
7. Information Centre |
The centre handles all enquiries from
various clients. It distributes government-related
information and provides government contact information and profiles
electronically and in hard copy. |
|
8. Vuk’uzenzele
magazine |
The magazine was launched in 2005 and is published every
two months. |
|
TABLE 1.4 SERVICE INFORMATION TOOL |
|
|
Type of information tool |
Actual achievements |
|
1 Thusong Service Centres |
GCIS has established 94 Thusong Service Centres around the
country. These centres play an important role in providing government-related
information to the public and especially those at grassroots level. |
|
2. Government directories |
GCIS produces information directories,
which are distributed widely to the public both electronically and in hard
copy. They are:
|
|
3. Government Communicators’ Forum (GCF) |
The GCF meets three times a year to discuss the
communication and information needs of government communicators. |
|
4. Government website |
The users of the website are citizens, government, the
media and the international community. Intermediaries (such as Thusong
Service Centres), facilitate use of the website by those unable to directly
use the Internet. The website is updated daily with the latest information on
government and its Programme of Action. |
|
5. Vuk’uzenzele |
For five editions of the magazine, 1,4 million
copies (32 pages) were printed For the sixth edition, two million
copies (48 pages) were printed A web version is also available on
the Government Online (www.gov.za) The magazine is printed in all
official languages A Braille version is also published |
|
TABLE 1.5 COMPLAINTS MECHANISM |
|
|
Complaint mechanism |
Actual achievements |
|
1. Government Communicators’ Forum
(GCF) |
The GCF addresses the information and
communication needs of government communicators. It meets three times a year.
|
|
2. Project Desk (PD) |
PD
uses a client satisfaction questionnaire which provided for positive and
negative feedback as well as suggestions, and the client is required to complete
upon closure of the project or service rendered. Project team meetings also
provide a platform for direct expression of dissatisfactions by the clients.
In addition to the above, the questionnaire is in a process of being refined,
as part of the overall GCIS Project Management
(PM) Handbook review to better inform our client liaison strategies and
PM practices. Also
by every project completion, project closure workshops are held, whereby the
client is represented. The output thereof is an exit report. The report
addresses issues such as the project constraints, team performances and
lessons learnt. |
|
3. Communication clusters |
The clusters meet on a monthly basis.
Communication-related issues are addressed. This has helped in developing
their communication strategies. |
|
4. Pre-Cabinet briefings |
The chairperson assists in addressing
queries raised by the different departments. These are communication-related
issues. |
|
5. Call Centre |
All queries received via the Call
Centre are forwarded to the relevant sections for response and there is
follow-up to ensure that they have been addressed. |
The
upgrade of bandwidth on some areas on GCIS Virtual Private Network (VPN) to
improve the data transfer and communications will be done. The roll-out of remote
connectivity to the GCIS VPN in all government information centres (GICs) in
Thusong Service Centres with fixed-line connectivity has been done. GCIS will investigate
and implement alternative connectivity options for those which do not have
fixed-line connectivity. The investigation of enabling voice communications on
our data network will continue and implementation will start as soon as the
State Information Technology (IT) Agency (Sita) has the capacity to rollout the
technology and service.
More
investment will be made on the GCIS web infrastructure hosting the information
portal, to improve capacity, efficiency and functionality. End-of-life web
servers will be renewed; capacity-building has started for redundancy for IT
continuity and load balancing. Application development projects have been
undertaken and will continue with Sita for performance improvement and content
management on the website. Improvements to the search facility have been done
and will continue. The licence and maintenance agreements for the search engine
will continue.
Service
level agreements (SLAs) will continue with Sita for the technical support and
the hosting environment of the services (gateway) portal). The completion of
the language translation project will see the remaining four official languages
available on the service website by the end of the 2006/07 financial year. We will investigate the use of mobile
interfaces for the services website.
In-house
information systems development projects to meet needs and contribute towards a
smarter working GCIS has and will continue. The development environment was
capacitated with a new development database and application server. Systems
were and will continue to be revamped and enhanced to meet the needs and
functionality requirements of the relevant system owners. Sita is involved with
the development and upgrading of external information systems for GCIS.
We
renewed the Enterprise Licence Agreement in 2006/07. Internet, e-mail and spam
filters were implemented in the environment and will continuously be upgraded
and updated to counter threats and vulnerabilities. We will continue to be
vigilant and maintain our security and anti-virus systems. We have built capacity
for IT continuity for disaster recovery of the internal and transversal IT
systems and services. The replacement of equipment approaching their
end-of-life cycle will be planned and budgeted for on an ongoing basis.
|
PROGRAMME |
ACTUALS |
FUTURE PROJECTIONS FOR THE
NEXT THREE YEARS |
|||||
|
2004/05 |
2005/06 |
2006/07 |
2007/08 |
2008/09 |
2009/10 |
|
|
|
R'000 |
R'000 |
R'000 |
R'000 |
R'000 |
R'000 |
|
|
|
Programme
1 |
3,583 |
3,502 |
1,633 |
950 |
997 |
1
047 |
|
|
Programme
2 |
27 |
- |
70 |
- |
- |
- |
|
|
Programme
3 |
384 |
127 |
330 |
362 |
379 |
406 |
|
|
Programme
4 |
545 |
823 |
192 |
117 |
123 |
131 |
|
|
Programme
5 |
2,075 |
1,276 |
810 |
781 |
818 |
859 |
|
|
Programme
6 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
|
Programme
7 |
- |
169 |
44 |
- |
- |
- |
|
|
TOTAL |
6,614 |
5,897 |
3,079 |
2,210 |
2,317 |
2,443 |
|
[T1]Targets should be per annum rather than for a three-year period