GCIS Annual Report for the Financial Year 2004-2005

1. Presentation to the Portfolio Committee on Communications GCIS Annual Report for the Financial Year 2004-2005 4 November 2005

2. Introduction For government communication, as for all of government, embarking on a new term of government at the beginning of the Second Decade of Freedom ‘cannot mean business as usual. It is a time for more effective and faster implementation’ a time that ‘requires a consolidation and intensification of work in progress, . . . innovation and changes in mindset.’[PMG note: graphics not included , please email info@pmg.org.za] Minister in The Presidency, Dr EG Pahad, Debate on GCIS budget in National Assembly 18 June 2004

3. Introduction GCIS Annual Report sets out in detail: • How GCIS sought to apply this injunction • Important advances made in government communication efforts • Enhanced capacity to meet the major challenges that still lie ahead in our endeavour to make the right of all citizens to information on government policies and actions a reality.[PMG note: graphics not included , please email info@pmg.org.za]

4. Expanding access toinformation about opportunities democracy has brought Attention to capacity & performance of the govt-wide communication system New products to reach especially the poor Expansion of infrastructure & systems for access to govt information Introduction • Key initiatives during the period under review: 2004-05 • Some activities undertaken in 2005 within the strategic plan presented in March 2005

5. Government Local Government Communication System Extending the system & improving performance • Increase public participation • Access to information about local services GCIS was charged with this task on its formation • Some 220 municipal communicators trained • Provincial workshops convened - informed development of a framework for communication in the municipal sphere, incl. recommendations for structures, capacity, & an annual communication cycle to interface with provincial and national cycles

6. Extending the system & improving performance • Preparation for the second-generation MPCCs under way • Plans in place to establish MPCCs in 4 districts to meet the First Generation objective: 1 MPCC in each district Research at 18 MPCCs in operation for more than 3 years, to: • Improve service delivery • Inform the business plan for the programme Results will be part of input into the annual MPCC evaluation workshop in November 2005.

7. Extending the system & improving performance Future perspectives informed by: • Review of MPCC funding options being undertaken with National Treasury and the dplg • Insights gained from a recent study tour to Brazil to learn from their experience in integrated service delivery.

8. Extending the system & improving performance • GCIS now has responsibility for the Batho Pele Internet Gateway • An integral part of government communication efforts, along with the 1020 Batho Pele Call centre • A one-stop portal for information about government services, assisting those who help the public with access to information about government services, e.g. MPCCs, CDWs, CBOs and NGOs • Content of the Gateway portal is being translated into all official languages to assist these intermediaries and citizens with direct access to Gateway.[PMG note: graphics not included , please email info@pmg.org.za]

9. Extending the system & improving performance Efforts to enhance the capacity and standards of government communication • Second intake of Academy of Government Communication and Marketing completed • Continuing interest amongst communicators to benefit from this initiative • 40 communicators from national, provincial and local government and some parastatals enrolled and are awaiting their results • Survey among journalists on their perceptions of govt communication • Survey completed • GCIS is studying the report to see how improvements can be made • Media account of government communications is a balanced one combining recognition of progress with some incisive criticism!

10. New products and extended platforms Product innovations[PMG note: graphics not included , please email info@pmg.org.za]

11. New products and extended platforms Extending the reach of information about opportunities, especially to those with least access to the media [PMG note: graphics not included , please email info@pmg.org.za]

12. New products and extended platforms Azishe Ke! – Opportunity knocks • Broadcast on SABC 2 Saturday mornings at 9.30 a.m. • Shows real stories of ordinary people who have accessed and benefited from economic opportunities created by government programmes • Aim to inspire and raise public awareness of opportunities and how they can be accessed • Tender for the update of the publication published • Interactions with development finance institutions are eliciting contributions towards the sustainability of this [PMG note: graphics not included , please email info@pmg.org.za]

13. New products and extended platforms • Launch of Vuk’uzenzele brought major addition to platforms for communicating information about the opportunities of democracy and how to access them • Written for all but aimed at those with least access to the media • Distribution of the 1m copies reaching into new areas.[PMG note: gaphics not included , please email info@pmg.org.za]

14. New products and extended platforms Back-office for intermediaries

15. New products and extended platforms • Public response to the TV series and Vuk’uzenzele - letters & calls to 1020 - indicate they are fulfilling a public need for information and communicating the message of partnership between public and government in programmes to create opportunities and fight poverty • Research is being done to: • inform the efforts to improve quality • ensure a match with what the intended readers expect.[PMG note: graphics not included , please email info@pmg.org.za]

16. New products and extended platforms • Contribute to public access to information about govt activities & programmes • Initiated as a service to the community media sector but increasing uptake of Bua News material by mainstream media • Upswing in utilization of Bua News articles in internet news sites • Wider international coverage through partnerships and co-operation agreements with international or foreign agencies: • Smart News Network • International (SNNI) • Prensa Latina • IRNA • Xinhua news agency GCIS’ participation in international conferences provided opportunities to highlight the need to enhance the coverage of Africa in international media and to build relations to promote this.

17. Administration GCIS continued to pay unremitting attention to effective and efficient support to its core functions: • Information technology • Human resource management • Procurement • Financial administration An unqualified report - without even Emphasis of the Matter - from the Auditor-General, contained in the GCIS Annual Report.

18. Administration With approval of National Treasury MDDA funds were transferred in a single tranche - quarterly reports to GCIS gave regular accounts of how the funds were being used Given the size of the IMC allocation it was transferred in quarterly accounts The 2005/06 budget included a once-off R10m to cater for the Ten Year Celebrations, two State of the Nation Addresses in 2004/05 and the Inauguration of the President 99,8% of the allocated budget was spent as intended, with the 0,2 % under-expenditure related to vacancies arising from staff turnover.

19. Administration In last years allocation for the MTEF period, the following additions were made to the baseline: R40,0m, R28,5m and R28,0m for the respective years • Additional funds will go towards: • Learnership programme • E-Gateway • Publication in the national telephone directory of contact details for Information Officers under the Public Access to Information Act • Additional personnel and operational costs of communication officers particularly in local offices • 16 Days of Activism campaign • Popular government magazine Vuk’uzenzele.

20. Administration

21. Promoting partnership and participatory democracy • The fostering of partnership of all of society in united action around common development goals - a focal theme in the work of GCIS: • involvement in the work of the IMC • Continuing support for the MDDA • Engagement in the process towards the transformation of the advertising and marketing industry. [PMG note: graphics not included , please email info@pmg.org.za]

22. TRANSFORMATION OF THE Advertising and Marketing Industry Promoting partnership and participatory democracy Past year saw a breakthrough in the process towards transformation: • Overarching Transformation Charter completed with support from a wide spectrum of stakeholders, incl. those recently joining/ rejoining the process e.g. PRISA & SAMRA • Charter meets all requirements of the BBBEE Act and Strategy - aligned to the latest codes • Ceremonial signing of the Charter scheduled for 24 November • Will be submitted to the Minister of Trade and Industry for gazetting as a Section 9 Charter • Monitoring and Steering Committee will be phased out once a Sector Charter Council has been established.

23. Promoting partnership and participatory democracy • Best-practice guidelines for government procurement of marketing and advertising completed • Should have a positive impact on government’s handling of advertising and marketing bids and in particular on participation by small emerging Black-owned companies. [PMG note: graphics not included , please email info@pmg.org.za]

24. Promoting partnership and participatory democracy Imbizo campaign reached new heights and has evolved in ways to engage more effectively in promoting solutions to identified problems • Two focus weeks each exceeded the previous ones ito number of events • Outside formal campaigns direct interaction of imbizo has increasingly become the norm of government communication.

25. Promoting partnership and participatory democracy GCIS is currently contributing to a number of communication campaigns in which the active partnership of all of society is critical to success The annual international campaign – from 25 November to 10 December - of 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children • More South Africans from all sectors heed the call, strengthening the national movement against woman and child abuse • Additional allocation for the campaign in this year’s GCIS budget being used to boost the communication campaign and extend its reach • Campaign will include a postcard pledge, the white ribbon, an SMS campaign and a Torch of Peace, among others.[PMG note: graphics not included , please email info@pmg.org.za]

26. Promoting partnership and participatory democracy NEPAD Peer Review of SA GCIS is working with the DPSA on a communication campaign to maximise the participation of South Africans in the Review: • To create awareness • To promote the co-operation among South Africans in reviewing progress made in the first decade of freedom • To identify areas for further improvement • To agreeing on a national vision and programme to take our democracy to new heights.[PMG note: graphics not included , please email info@pmg.org.za]

27. Promoting partnership and participatory democracy 2010 World Cup • Working with the IMC, and in consultation with the 2010 Local Organising Committee and FIFA, first steps have been taken towards a national communication partnership around the hosting of the 2010 World Cup itself, to: • ensure that as a nation we make the most of this unique opportunity for marketing our country • further strengthening national unity and accelerating development.[PMG note: graphics not included , please email info@pmg.org.za]

28. Promoting partnership and participatory democracy Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative of South Africa • Major focus of communication for the coming period • Government joining hand with social partners to develop a comprehensive initiative that will raise the range of growth to higher levels, in a manner that benefits all South Africans Encouraging trends in indicators of the national mood create a positive environment for communication, domestic and international, to explain the initiative and promote partnership for its implementation.

29. End