October 1996
Brief for the Task Group on Government Communications
Chapter 1: How the task group worked
Chapter 2: The Context for government communications: framework and constraints
chapter 3: The current picture: Communications in 1996
Chapter 4: The South African Media Environment
Chapter 5: Development challenges
Chapter 6: International Perspectives: Communicating in a democracy
Chapter 7: South Africa seen from abroad
Chapter 8: Conclusions and the way forward
Recommendations
Structures
Cabinet 1-2
Government Communication and Information System (GCIS)
3-20
Ministries and Departments 21-23
SACS 24
Communications 2000 25-26
Functions and Responsibilities
Presidency 27-30
Communications 2000 31-39
CSA 40-53
Personnel and Training 54-58
South Africa in the World 59-63
Information Development 64-67
Access to Information
Open Democracy Legislation 68
Repeal of Legislation 69
Plain Language 70-73
South African Languages 74
Access to Documentation 75-76
Media Environment
Deputy President Thabo Mbeki
We have pleasure in submitting the report of Comtask completed according to the mandate which you established in January.
In doing so, we would like to record appreciation for the enthusiastic response which we received from hundreds of South Africans in all walks of life, and of the contributions made by professional and community organisations, and all levels of government.
The report also benefitted from the input and comments of senior officials and citizens from over twenty countries around the world, who gave generously of their time and ideas.
We would like to record appreciation for the substantial financial and technical support which this exercise received from the Commonwealth Secretariat, the Friedrich Ebert Foundation and the United Nations Development Programme.
Finally, we would like to pay special tribute to the contribution of the late Dr. Paul Lusaka, whose illness forced him to withdraw before the completion of the report. Dr Lusaka, a long standing friend of democracy and of South Africa, worked as a Commonwealth adviser during the most critical phase of our research, and made a major contribution to our work.
Mandla Langa
ConvenorMembers:
David Dison
Steve Godfrey
Willem de Klerk
Raymond Louw
Stephen Mncube
Sebiletso Mokone-Matabane
Val Pauquet
Tshepo Rantho
Mathatha Tsedu
The Task Group consulted over an eight month period with South African institutions, professional bodies and all levels of government. Thirty seven meetings were held in public, sixty one presentations made and one hundred and fifty written submissions received. The Task Group also consulted with nineteen government and four international organisations. Specialised media monitoring, and a study of media ownership and control were commissioned, and all departments, ministries and provinces completed questionnaires and many additional players were interviewed by a researcher.
The findings of the Task Group are framed in the context of the new constitutional democracy, the political imperatives of social and economic development, and also seek to reflect the thinking and best communications practice of successful democracies in the developed and developing world. They also take account of the legacy of apartheid, the poverty of its communications systems, and the need to open up channels of access, particularly at local community level.
A new communications system is an economic and political imperative for the 'information age'. Its purpose must be to provide a network throughout the country which provides every citizen with the information required to live and to control their lives.
The new government communication and information system needs to be better coordinated and more focussed in its messages. It should strengthen the capability of government to communicate its policies to the people, and be streamlined, credible, cost-effective and highly professional. To do this it will need to engage better with civil society, creating a dialogue between government and the public.
Such delivery requires leadership from the centre of government - the Presidencyf - but also decentralised implementation through ministries, departments and provincial and local government. For this, a more professional cadre of communicators is required, as well as better cooperation with the media and community at large.
The Task Group report is written within a given framework which includes the new constitutional principles and the citizen's 'right to know', the government objective of creating a leaner and more efficient public service, affirmative action, and the importance of pluralism in the ownership and control of media.
The report delineates critical constraints which new policies should take into account. These are: the low status of government communicators, a tradition of inflexible and inward-looking bureaucracy, a high level of concentration of media ownership, a journalism profession impoverished by Apartheid, obsolete media legislation and finally, the reality of severe resource constraints on government.
National and Provincial Government currently employ 1,095 and 406 communication personnel respectively, and spend a total of R380m per year on communications staff, operations and publicity. No common standards exist for measuring communication costs, which make firm figures difficult to obtain. However, very wide variations in resource allocations throughout departments and provinces are apparent.
SACS employs over half the communication personnel of national government. It suffers from poor morale and no mandate. It has a low level of interaction with departments and provinces and meets their needs fitfully. A majority of government communicators at all levels favours a central service agency with a more defined focus, and provinces want SACS regional structures to be discontinued.
Overall, Government lacks central coordination in messaging, adequate planning of information campaigns, and communications has a low priority as reflected in its budgets and the status of communicators.
This year has seen a dilution of the historically high level of concentration in the media through empowerment deals, and further foreign investment is anticipated. Media diversity has been significantly advanced though IBA licensing of community radio, and the sale of SABC regional radio stations. Particular concern exists about the distribution monopoly which may inhibit the viability of small or new titles. Public funding for the national broadcaster and for community media is identified as important for attaining media diversity. Government should also take steps to remove anachronistic legislation which compromises press freedom.
Government and media relations in a democracy are always sensitive, and occasionally acrimonious. Apartheid weakened the profession in South Africa, and there is agreement in the industry that capacity-building is needed to improve standards, and to open the profession and media management to disadvantaged groups. The Task Group survey indicated that the South African media, especially the press, lacks experienced journalists able to cover stories in depth and in context.
A fundamental need of government communications is to reach the majority of the population, especially the disadvantaged. Inadequate public infrastructure in broadcasting and telecommunications is an obstacle to this - with the exception of radio it fails to reach the majority. A closely coordinated strategy to extend this infrastructure is required within government. Private sector finance and expertise is essential, and there is also a need to make better use of existing public infrastructure such as post offices and libraries. Simplicity of language and easy access is needed - new technology can overcome barriers of illiteracy and the cost of distribution, and multi-purpose information centres are a good way to facilitate access.
The Task Group surveyed government communication systems in 19 countries including ten developing countries. We found common trends and practices in these countries.
Effective media relations is always associated with a recipe of coordinated government messaging, led by professional communication officials with status, who work directly with and have free access to ministers and officials. Well-structured coordination and clear lines of responsibility are essential.
Government outreach includes a wide variety of methods, but places emphasis on electronic channels. Didactic messages or government 'slots' are not particularly effective tools, and though not unusual in democracies are limited. Radio is a critical vehicle for reaching poor or remote communities. New technology and the use of the Internet are generally more advanced in other countries, including the developing countries visited, than in South Africa.
Most democracies have a central communication institution that handles government-wide services (e.g. training, analysis, advertising) but which is not a centralised voice of government. Decentralised communication is the most effective, where information is imparted from that point in government closest to the target audience.
South Africa needs a more focussed information drive with better cooperation between different branches of government involved in advancing interests abroad. Missions are seriously hampered in their promotion of South Africa by the lack of timely information on the background to decisions. Improved coordination in overseas visits by national and provincial leaders is important to avoid sending mixed or confusing messages. Most countries visited - including developing countries at a comparable economic level to South Africa - have a more integrated approach to foreign promotion, with better information services and on-line data. Despite enduring goodwill towards South Africa, more focus and better service to missions is vital to success in a highly competitive global economy.
A total of 83 recommendations is advanced. These are based on the premise that considerable savings to the public purse can be effected through a more modern, streamlined and effective communication system.
Improved public access to government communication and information needs to be tied to improved telecommunication and broadcasting capacity. The challenge cross-cuts many departments. It is recommended that a Cabinet Committee on the Information Economy be established to oversee an integrated strategy, and that it be chaired by the Deputy President. The involvement of Cabinet in policy on a variety of aspects relating to the information economy is proposed.
The centre point of the Task Group's recommendations is the establishment of a Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) with three components:
The GCIS would ensure coordination, and be managed by a small unit in the Presidency led by a Head of Government Communications. The unit would also include senior officials with responsibility for media (Chief Spokesperson) and for Provincial Liaison.
Each Minister would also appoint a Head of Communications, either a public servant or contract employee, working direct from the Ministry and responsible for all aspects of departmental communications.
The proposed system would be introduced with the assistance of Communications 2000, a professional advisory and consultative body to the Presidency established for a two year period (1997 - 1998)
The functions of the above components would be as follows:
The report recommends that government establish a professional stream within the public service for communications personnel. A skills and personnel audit should be conducted to assist the development of training, and staff should be appointed against a new set of professional criteria. It is proposed that a standardised training course be developed as a qualifying criterion. The advancement of affirmative action should be pursued.
A National Training Programme (NTP) for communication professionals should be established. It can be jointly funded and delivered the profession and appropriate NGOs and universities.
It is recommended that the Department of Foreign Affairs lead the development of an integrated information system for overseas missions. DFA, together with DTI, SATOUR and other relevant departments should establish an information system on South Africa using the Internet and other mechanisms. Approval mechanisms for ministerial travel overseas should ensure that DFA/missions are informed to enable them to provide appropriate support, and similar cooperative mechanisms put in place for the overseas travel of provincial MEC's and other appropriate people.
The report emphasises the importance of building a network of information delivery points across the country. Current initiatives to support Multipurpose Information Centres should receive support. The Department of Telecommunications proposal for the development of the role of post offices is of particular importance in this regard. Recommendations in this area cross-cut ministries and departments, and the Cabinet Committee on the Information Economy is recommended to advance this issue.
A number of legislative matters are important for creating an environment of access to information including the Open Democracy Act and the removal of anachronistic legislation that impinges on the freedom of the press.
Greater use of plain language in all government documents and legislation is advocated. Policy in this regard is also referred to the Cabinet Committee on the Information Economy. It would also be a major cost-saving measure. It is recommended that braille and signing be incorporated into government communications plans.
Government departments and statutory bodies should be required to make all unclassified documents available in electronic form to the proposed government Homepage, and private bodies should not be accorded proprietary status of such material. Further efforts should be made to establish a system of cataloguing of all government documentation.
Funding for the development of the role of the national public broadcaster on a triennial basis is essential, and should be given priority by the Cabinet Committee on the Information Economy.
Support for the community media sector, on a matching finance basis with the industry and foreign donors, should be provided by government. This scheme should be delivered through a statutorily recognised media development agency.
Channel Africa is a national priority which should be financed by the state (not by the public broadcaster). The appropriate route for this financing is the Department of Foreign Affairs.
The overall issue of monopolies within the print media should be referred to the Competitions Board. Existing distributors of mass market newspapers be licensed with common carrier status in terms of legislation required to ensure fair and equitable treatment for the distribution of all newspapers and periodicals.
A parliamentary broadcast service similar to C-Span in the United States should be investigated in conjunction with the national public broadcaster.
A set of suggested milestones for the establishment of the proposed new system are outlined for the period up to December 31st 1998.
The mandate required the Task Group on Government Communications to examine government communications at the local, provincial, national and international level, and to make recommendations on new policies, structures and budgets. Particular mention was made of the need to examine training and affirmative action policies; of the way in which ownership of the media affects government communication; and of South Africa's international information dissemination. We were asked to draw on the experience and best practices of other democracies in making recommendations.
From the outset, the Task Group decided to work in a fully transparent manner. We have held 37 full meetings. Every one of these meetings has been open to the public and the media. The work plan we designed contained the following major elements:
1.1 Public Consultation
In March, advertisements calling on individuals and institutions to make written and/or oral submissions to the Task Group were placed in national and regional newspapers, as well as on radio stations in nine official languages. We also opened a Homepage on the Internet for information and comments. Our aim was to meet our obligation by obtaining input from every sector of society. In total we have received 150 written submissions. Copies of all of the submissions are available. Some of the more pertinent have been included as appendices to this report.
1.2 Consultations and Hearings
A total of 61 presentations from a wide range of stakeholders and experts was made to the Task Group. In addition, Task Group members visited provinces to meet with provincial government, experts and community groups and spoke on community radio. We attended a two-day presentation by the South African Communications Service (SACS). We ourselves made a presentation to the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Communications. A list of all submissions and presentations is included in the report.1
1.3 Questionnaires and Research
In March, a questionnaire was submitted to all Ministries, Departments and Provinces asking for basic data on staffing, budgetary resources, and working methods in communications and inviting further comment and suggestions.2 This was carried out to meet objective 1 (e) of our mandate - reviewing the relationships between government communication structures and non-governmental information providers.
The Task Group also commissioned an independent survey of media coverage of government communications by the Media Monitoring Project (MMP).3 The MMP surveyed national and regional print and broadcast sources over the three-month period from March 31 to June 30. Research was also carried out by Mr Robin MacGregor4 to describe current ownership and control of the South African Media. These two activities were required to meet objective 1 (g) of our mandate - reviewing the ownership and control of South African media and to interpret how these affect government communications.
1.4 International Programme
Objective 3 of our mandate required Comtask to examine South Africa's international information dissemination; and Objective 4 to research international perspectives in democracies. With financial and technical assistance from the United Nations Development Programme and Commonwealth Secretariat, the Task Group travelled in teams of 2-3 members to 19 countries. During these visits, we also met with South African missions to discuss the ways in which South Africa was projecting its image.5 We subsequently met twice with the Department of Foreign Affairs to discuss these findings.6
1.5 The Process
The process has been as inclusive as we could make it: every sector of society has been contacted. In total we have met with about 1,000 individuals. The quality and thoughtfulness of input has been impressive. We would like to thank all contributors for the time and commitment they have given to this process.
This work has been a real learning experience. South Africans have never had the opportunity to consider how their government should communicate. There has never been such a review - at least in public - nor such transparency in the discussion of budgets, personnel and structures. Institutions have never before been consulted nor involved in discussing how these issues can be approached in the interests of the whole community. The overall picture has never been painted, nor has South Africa been contrasted with the best systems other democracies have developed.
We are grateful to have been given the opportunity to do all these things. We hope the recommendations and analysis contained in the report will assist you in reshaping South Africa's Government communications into the next millenium.
2.1 Introduction
In May 1994, the Government of National Unity ushered in a new spirit of freedom of expression. 'Government in the sunshine' was embraced by an information-hungry society. Under National Party rule, a culture of secrecy, disinformation, and restrictions on press freedom had infused government thinking. Almost overnight, the introduction of constitutional guarantees in respect of freedom of the media and the public's right to information promises a new, open and accountable style of government.
With media restrictions during the past 45 years, there was limited exposure of government mismanagement and disinformation. This changed from April 1994, when government in all its shapes and forms was exposed to the full force of a free and independent media.
Although there has been some irritation and sensitivity by government in response to sometimes unfair and harsh stories in the media, the GNU has remained true to its constitutional commitment to freedom of expression, information and a free media.
Government has recognised freedom of expression as an entrenched tenet of our new democratic society, but it has done so within the context of a society with an inheritance of severe deprivation in regard to information and dialogue with government. It has also had to operate within an organisational culture and structural framework insufficiently geared to modern systems of communication and information delivery.
This is the environment in which the Task Group conducted its work. In doing so, it has sought at all times to act within the framework of current and related policy trends effected and envisaged by government. At the same time, it has drawn on the best and most appropriate international practice. The objective of the Task Group has been to address its terms of reference and to produce a set of policy and other proposals designed to cohere with broad government policy, and to do so within a political environment in which all of society is committed to addressing the legacy of the past.
2.2 The Policy Framework
2.2.1 Constitutional Requirements
The first departure point is the constitutional requirement for freedom of information. This has been strengthened by the practice of the present government which has, in Parliament, in the civil service and in the political arena, worked hard to open up the channels of communication and transparency. The constitution makes provision for freedom of expression and of the media and also for freedom and access to information and the only time this can be circumscribed is when the country is at war or in a state of serious internal turmoil. There are impressive safeguards within the constitution to ensure that these limitations are applied only as a last resort. The Constitutional Court has been established to protect these rights and has already demonstrated its ability to act firmly in defence of the constitution. In addition, there are important new instruments which guarantee public accountability, such as the Public Protector, the Independent Broadcasting Authority and the planned Open Democracy Act (ODA) which supplement existing institutions such as the auditor-general's office..
At the highest level, the ODA will give practical effect to the provisions of the Constitution, by placing the final 'brick in the wall' of transparent government. At the same time, it is clear that the issue of government communication and information needs to be addressed at more basic levels to ensure that key government information reaches the people as a whole.
2.2.2 Culture of Accountability and the Right to Know
The right to know is also an important part of the commitment to the policy of unearthing the political crimes of the past. The Act which established the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) has seen the birth of an extraordinary process. The TRC has provided genuine avenues for reconciliation for all those who were involved in the political and military struggle which occurred in South Africa in the second half of the 20th Century. At the same time, it has entrenched the principle of knowledge and openness as essential requirements for the functioning of a democratic society, and fostering a culture of accountability.
2.2.3 Leaner Administration
A third policy context is the government's commitment to a streamlined, efficient and transparent public service. This policy is beginning to be reflected in the new style of budgetary management by the Treasury. Zero-based budgeting allows for new criteria to be entered into the budgeting process and includes multi-year planning, as opposed to the incremental budgeting system we have at present - essentially a bargaining exercise in which the allocation made in the previous year has an inordinate weight in determining current allocations. The new model will require departments of state to comply with stated objectives, resulting in a performance and objectives-linked allocation of funding to the different ministries and departments of state.
Our review of government communications has, therefore, been conducted with a view to setting management by objectives, as well as towards leaner and more efficient structures. This is practically expressed in the need carefully to consider outsourcing and the creation of a highly professional and well-trained corps of communicators.
2.2.4 Co-ordination within government
Another important policy strand relates to the recognition of the interdependence of government departments and the carefully conceived balance between its three tiers. The policy and practice of the new government needs to recognise the importance of the communication and information function within every department of state and within all three tiers of government. This policy has informed our approach to the question of how and where the communication function should relate to, and co-ordinate with, the structures of democratic government.
2.2.5 Affirmative Action & Empowerment
Another crucial policy framework relates to the implementation of affirmative action for all groups disadvantaged by apartheid. In communications, this requires examination at three levels: the communicator, the producer of materials and information, and the public audience.
Throughout our report, we have taken into account the commitment of the GNU to the empowerment of historically disadvantaged communities. It is now generally accepted that such communities in South Africa include blacks, women, disabled persons and people living in rural areas. The principle of empowerment includes affirmative action for such historically and currently disadvantaged communities.7 These principles affect a range of issues from media diversity and control, to training and capacity building, the development of communication networks, and outsourcing.
2.2.6 Ownership & Control of the Media
Concentration of ownership and control is a matter of concern for all governments. In the case of the media, there is an additional concern: lack of diversity allows for control of information and opinion. Media diversity is thus vital to democracy.
In addition to urging that this matter be dealt with by recommending that issues of monopoly be considered as part of competition policy and that distribution networks should become common carriers, we have approached our work from the perspective that government should assist the development of a plurality of voices, and encourage media diversity. This goal can be advanced in a variety of ways other than through competitions policy per se. Examples include affirmative action strategies, support for community media and the public broadcaster administered through an independent body, and more transparent criteria for selecting and awarding contracts, in order to promote empowerment.
We have approached the problem of foreign ownership of the media from the point of view that forcing unbundling into South African hands could result in the closing of titles and thus a reduction in media diversity because of the cross-media subsidisation and shared resource policies adopted by the groups. Instead our approach has been to bring pressure on foreign owners to expand ownership structures to include more South African interests.
2.3 Current Constraints
Throughout our consultation and research, we have been struck by the significant constraints upon government in the field of information and communication. Although we are firmly of the belief that, given government policy objectives, many of these constraints will ease and indeed disappear in the longer term, they form the backdrop against which we worked.
2.3.1 Cultural Background
The first major constraint is the difference in culture between the old administration and the new. This expresses itself most graphically between the ministries which often have completely different attitudes to communication and information to those of departments. We have, indeed, seen little evidence of effective co-operation between ministerial liaison officers and departmental communicators, although there are exceptions. We have also noted that, because of the way communications is structured, ministers have little direct involvement in the broad communication functions (beyond media liaison) of their departments. Yet the political role of ministers requires them to be in the forefront and taking responsibility for explaining, motivating and defending government policy: this is where communications capacity should be located.
Related to this problem is a style of administration which is steeply hierarchical and strangled by red tape, with long reporting lines and top-heavy management. This is particularly unsuited to efficient communications delivery which requires creative space, speed and flexibility.
It is generally clear that government at all three levels has committed itself to a new policy which recognises its rights and obligations to provide information about its operations, plans and projects. Some ministries, departments, provincial authorities and local authorities are better at this than others. Thus, although in general we detected an underlying commitment to the policy of providing information and communicating with the public and stakeholders, delivery is uneven, generally inadequate and still impeded by an inability completely to shrug off a culture of secrecy.
2.3.2 Low Status of Communications
The status of communications and its practitioners is also an inhibiting factor. There is poor recognition of the need for a professional government communication and information service in South Africa. Rather, there are disparate communication and information officials with widely varying backgrounds, seniority and training. In order to eliminate this constraint, we believe that the status of the profession within government needs to be raised.
Related to the above is what we perceive to be a poor understanding of the role of communications and its function in government. This, it must be said, is a fault discernible both in the old administration and the new. It is reflected in the nature of appointments made and, as noted above, in the status and training of communications professionals.
In addition, although those who hail from the liberation movements have been exposed to a strong consultative approach which was effected through alternative methods of communication and information delivery, this style of public consultation has not yet been incorporated into the thinking and practice of the new government.
2.3.3 Lack of Communication and Information Policy
There is no clear policy in relation to government communication and information in South Africa. It is hoped our report will go some way towards assisting in the establishment of such a policy. The lack of policy in this area puts South Africa out of step with many countries in the developing world which recognise that one of the key requirements for government is to develop and maintain a dynamic and effective information and communication strategy.
The new government has not been able to forge a national information policy. Although the RDP office initiated a study on national information policy more than a year ago, from which some valuable reports have emanated, it appears to have made insufficient progress. At the level of pure information policy, government needs to conclude the process that was commenced in the RDP office, and adopt uniform standards for information storage and dissemination.
A strong government communication and information service can coexist with a culture that embraces freedom of expression and information. The recommendations contained in our report will, we believe, go a long way towards providing for a productive coexistence of these two essential components of a democratic society. The information society is about the right to know and choose. It is also the driving engine for economies into the next millennium.
2.3.4 Patterns of Ownership and Control
South African democracy inherited a concentrated media. Over the past two years this has been mitigated by the development, for the first time, of a true national public broadcaster, by the recent empowerment takeovers, and by the continuing efforts of the community media sector. As already stated, concentration of media ownership is a danger in democracy. It raises the likelihood that opinion and information may be controlled by one sector of society to the disadvantage of others. For this reason, we believe a greater diversity of media in South Africa would improve the quality and range of information flow generally, and facilitate effective government communication and information.
2.3.5 Media Professionalism
The apartheid years also damaged the profession of journalism. Attrition drove many talented journalists out of the profession or out of the country. It impoverished standards. We have, in this regard, identified a relative lack of professionalism in South African media. Like media professionals in government, extensive training and retraining is required if this constraint is to be eliminated. In this regard, too, we make certain observations about the performance of the press which we hope may have some influence on the direction in which the media restructures itself.
2.3.6 Relationships between Press and Government
An uneasy relationship exists between press and government. On the one hand, government complains that its message, its perspectives and its concrete decisions and actions do not receive adequate media coverage. Reports are often superficial, incomplete and distorted. Important government communication is often selectively ignored.
On the other hand, the media alleges that the government's communication efforts are too often incomplete, opaque, and superficial, and that the way in which the government releases its news is unprofessional. There are too many delays in news releases and an unwillingness or clumsiness in providing in-depth and background information on government decisions and policy.
Both points of view can be substantiated and have some merit. In private, we found leaders in both the media and government willing to accept the shortcomings of their own institutions quite readily. The consistent repression of the truth by the previous government in South Africa and the subsequent entrenchment of freedom of information and expression in our Constitution has resulted in a media which, quite correctly, guards its newly won freedoms jealously. But, while we believe tension between government and the press is healthy, and indeed inevitable, there is scope for both sides to listen to the other's critiques and for joint efforts to improve respective standards.
2.3.7 Obsolete Legislation
Restrictive laws still exist under which the media operate and which obstruct its efforts. These need to be removed from the statute book. They are anachronistic and need to be repealed in a systematic way.8
2.3.8 Inadequate Infrastructure
We note a critical problem which severely constrains the capacity of government to inform the population: inadequate communications infrastructure. This reveals itself in our telecommunications systems, our broadcasting infrastructure and the poverty of our information technology. The result is the extreme isolation experienced by communities disadvantaged by remoteness, illiteracy, poverty and social circumstance. Addressing this problem - literally, bringing the benefits of an information society to the majority of South Africans - will require the mobilisation of capital and skills beyond the means of the government. New partnerships with the private sector, as well as the necessary legislation and public policy to enable this, are urgently needed to provide telephone lines, communication technologies and delivery capacity.
2.3.9 Communications and the Role of government
The final problem relates to budget and resources. The public budget is under severe pressure with many demands placed upon it. The development of a more effective government communication system will have to be financed in part from savings and reduction of waste and duplication. Other resources can be obtained by more effective partnerships with communities, the private sector and better working methods between levels of government.
However, it is abundantly clear that many poor and rural people - the majority - lack access to information about national developments. This is partly because the infrastructure is not available, nor the funding in place, to produce the necessary material. It is unlikely that private sector or community resources can generate the funds needed to fill all these gaps. The public broadcaster and the community media sector will need support from the national purse if these gaps are to be filled in the short to medium term. The alternative will be an information community which includes only those who can afford it.
3.1 A Quantitative Picture
To determine the size and character of government communications budgets and structures, a questionnaire was sent to all ministerial and departmental liaison officers, as well as to provinces.9 SACS provided a detailed breakdown of its establishment and operations, and directors general provided their budget figures.
The responses were compiled and assessed by the Development Bank of South Africa.
Overall, information was obtained from all departments and provinces and from all but three ministries. All data is for the current year, except population figures.
We had serious difficulty in compiling authoritative data from which benchmarks could be set, and useful comparative data drawn up. For example, the figures for advertising costs by department are not separately counted and we have, therefore, used the industry estimate of R150 million a year. The definition of what constitutes 'communications' is also not transparent - for example, the SACS shows its communication costs for salaries, not for operations. In most provinces, we have only been able to obtain figures for central communications but not for individual departments.
These difficulties themselves underline the need for explicit and consistent budgeting criteria against which costs and output can be measured. The following statistics should be considered the best estimate we could develop given these constraints.
3.2 Staffing
There are a total of 1,095 positions for the communication/liaison functions within national government. Of these the majority (55%) are in SACS, with 2.5% in ministries and the balance in departments (42.5%). In the case of SACS, many of these positions are not filled.
In addition, provinces employ 406 personnel in central communication and liaison functions.
The total number of personnel employed in these functions at both levels of government is 1,501.
We have not been able to assess the numbers of people involved in the communications function at local level. These functions are carried out in a variety of ways - by departments in the larger cities and by officials who perform this function as part of a range of other duties.
3.3 Budgets
3.3.1 Estimating the budget is particularly difficult. Based on the material submitted, the current total for communications expenditure at national level, including staffing, operations and advertising is R294.5m and, through provinces, an additional R85.98m, making a combined total of R380.48m.
This represents an average of 0.31% of total government spending. Based on these figures, national government is spending about R7.2 per capita and provincial govern-ment R2.1 per capita - less than R10 per citizen each year.
The data has provided some interesting material on the breakdown of costs between staffing and operations. For example, SACS spends the highest proportion of its communication budget on staffing costs - over 62%. This is lower at other branches of government: departments spend 14% on staffing, ministries 42%, and provinces 22%.
Within the national departments, priorities vary markedly. The top five spending ratios on communication staffing and operations, apart from SACS, are:
| Public Service Ministry | 17.05% |
| DP de Klerk | 16.77% |
| Ministerial Offices | 15.41% |
| President | 12.38% |
| DP Mbeki | 12.23% |
The majority of departments are spending below 0,2% of their total budgets on communications. (Further details in Annex 23)
3.3.2 Provincial government annual expenditures on central communications personnel and operations vary widely. Provinces provide the major part of the infrastructure, but SACS contributes to this. SACS allocations take into account the relative levels of spending by provincial governments. For example, the highest level of service provision by SACS is to the lowest provided province, and vice-versa.
3.3.3 A calculation of combined expenditure on staff and operations in each province, however, shows the wide discrepancy in service delivery, with very low per capita levels in two provinces with large rural populations:
| North West | R7.97 |
| Mpumalanga | R4.21 |
| Gauteng | R2.22 |
| Northern | R2.05 |
| Western Cape | R1.97 |
| Free State | R1.73 |
| Northern Cape | R1.43 |
| Kwazulu-Natal | R1.04 |
| Eastern Cape | R .87 |
3.3.4 Local government structures, although approached, failed to produce figures on personnel and budgets.
3.4 A Qualitative Picture
In addition to the questionnaires, Comtask approached communications personnel at all levels of the public service. The following is a summary of the position we identified.
3.4.1 Ministries12
Ministers are structurally disempowered in the communications sphere. In most cases, they are entitled to one media liaison officer who is available on secondment from the department. Where ministers have appointed media liaison officers separately, these personnel are also subjected to civil service procedures with regard to salaries and conditions of service - seldom relating to their real skills or experience in the field. Where ministerial media liaison officers are seconded from the departments, these personnel may be plucked from the structures regardless of their communications skills or their sympathy with and understanding of the policies and persuasion of the Minister.
Operational budgets are generally held by the departments which maintain media sections of varying sizes. Of 23 respondent ministries, only three indicated that there was a specific communication budget. Most ministerial liaison officers reported that they used departmental budgets for their function.
Because the head of communications is generally based in the department and reports to the director general, both minister and the media liaison officer (who occupies a lower rank than the senior departmental official) often lack the means to change the course or style of communications.
As a result of these structural arrangements, a number of the new ministerial communications staff have already left the service. Salaries are uneven and there is tension between some ministries and departmental media sections.
Because of inappropriate skills in departmental media sections or lack of cooperation, ministerial liaison officers are also often seriously overworked. There are problems of co-ordination between MLOs and departmental staff. Some MLOs receive little or no back-up as they have no staff or assistance of their own. Lack of training and skills sometimes results in poor performance, particularly as regards what are presently seen as prime functions, like media liaison, although there are cases in which the work is excellent.
Despite these findings, there was a majority view among practitioners in ministries, departments and the provinces that the separation between departmental and ministerial functions be maintained, with 57%-64% in favour of separation.
3.4.2 Departments13
There is no clear standard for setting budget levels or defining the functions of the communications personnel. The line reporting structure, combined with a tradition of rigid control of information, severely hampers creativity and responsiveness of communications professionals. In most departments, a communications post is a stage in a career. A communicator in the Department of Justice, for example, may be a magistrate or legal officer by profession.
Departmental officials ranked lack of human resources and finance as major concerns, with lack of clear policy and verifiable information next. Lack of media access and responsiveness were ranked as the lowest concern.
3.4.3 Provinces14
Four provincial administrations maintained a separate communications function for the Premier; two did not. The remaining provincial administrations reported that there was one communication function for the provincial government. 57% were in favour of continued separation between Premier and provincial administration.
3.4.4 SACS15
The head of SACS set out the organisations current dilemma in his presentation to Comtask: SACS lacks a clear mandate. As such it has carried on with the basic structure inherited from the previous government without a clear basis on which to restructure or reform itself. In the course of our work, SACS appeared as a collection of undirected components. In its presentation to us, the Project Planning Unit agreed that no integrated campaign planning advice is offered to departments.
SACS also suffer from low morale and a large number of its senior personnel have applied for retrenchment packages. A majority of the senior staff who made presentations to Comtask were already in this position. By July, low morale among staff and insecurity about the future of the organisation had led to some 111 staff opting for the retrenchment package offered to civil servants. By October, this figure had risen to 160.
The data in the questionnaire indicates a lack of strong interaction with departments and provinces. Although SACS has more than half the entire communications personnel of the national government, it has a low level of interaction with government departments, ministries and provinces. Two-thirds of departments, ministries and provinces had contact 'from time to time' and a further 17% 'not often'. One result of this is a significant duplication of services throughout government. For example, news cutting and analysis is often duplicated by SACS, the department and the ministry because of lack of agreement on the required product. The most common service used is for media releases and publications, such as the year book, and for the annual parliamentary briefing sessions.
The cost of SACS products as provided to departments generally ignores the labour, equipment and overhead costs.
The presentations made to Comtask bear out the results of the questionnaire and the lack of enthusiasm for SACS and its low credibility in government and the media. There is no single reason for this, nor does the responsibility lie solely with SACS. There is an inherited prejudice in some quarters against SACS, based on its history. The lack of a clear set of communication structures and policies within Government also creates a vacuum within which it is difficult for an agency such as SACS to function effectively. At the same time, SACS has not been able to change its image fast enough, nor has it undertaken consultative research and needs identification. This might have earned it more 'customers' within government, or a more creative relationship with civil society.
The problem is most acute in the provinces. According to the provincial communicators, SACS provincial offices operate with varying degrees of efficiency. The Provincial Government Communications Forum expressed serious concerns about SACS, and noted overlap and duplication which, it stated, was to the detriment of both parties.
Some SACS employees favoured the privatisation of certain components of SACS, though there were varying degrees of certainty as to whether these components could survive on the open market.
Notwithstanding the level of criticism of SACS, there is consensus among ministries, departments and provinces about the future priorities they attach to a central agency. 68% of ministries, 74% of departments and 57% of provinces were in favour of a centralised structure. However, each level qualified these statements with the following:
3.5 Other Observations
With regard to frustrations at work, all officials consulted shared the same concerns as their colleagues in other government structures. The top three frustrations were lack of financial resources (6 provinces), lack of a clear policy (4 provinces) and lack of human resources (4 provinces). The results for the other structures were:
3.6 Some Conclusions
3.6.1 The level of resources applied to communications is too low, although we do not believe increased percentages per se are an answer to improved communications. The extreme variations in range of expenditures and the lack of a clear budget and accounting system underline the fact that government does not accord communications sufficient priority. There is no overall government standard for setting budgets or national strategies, nor are there mechanisms for measuring performance. As a consequence, widely differing priorities are given between different bodies.
3.6.2 There is a lack of central co-ordination. Although Cabinet has a Communications Sub-Committee, it does not meet frequently. Press conferences are conducted by the director general of the President's Office, and ministries are sometimes not involved, even where the information relates directly to their line functions. Also, despite the existence of a category in Cabinet memoranda regarding communications around particular pieces of legislation, this is either ignored or given the most cursory attention. Communicators are seldom asked for inputs.
3.6.3 Communication is not taken sufficiently seriously at a high enough level. Although the President's Office runs an efficient communication system, Cabinet does not. Many ministries give insufficient attention to the messages flowing from government, and personnel are not sufficiently empowered or resourced (or often even informed) to do this for them. Even where arrangements are made to create a post for a communications professional, this may be filled by people with other skills. Communications thus remains 'the Cinderella', and government is substantially impoverished by its own inability to take this crucial aspect of governance seriously.
3.6.4 There is no co-ordination of messages between government departments. Advertising campaigns are individually launched, press conferences may clash with one another; sometimes contradictory messages go out. The annual parliamentary press briefing has no centrally defined message. The plethora of corporate images on letterheads also illustrates this point.
3.6.5 There is also a lack of co-ordination of messages on one central issue within a department. Rather than operating on a campaign basis, and making all means of communication (advertising, press, public relations, public events, internal communications, design work, etc) work together to convey and reinforce the message, production is often ad hoc and there is no corporate follow through.
3.7 The MMP Survey of Government Communications16
Comtask commissioned the MMP to monitor a selection of national, regional and local media, including television, radio and newspapers in as broad a range of languages and geographic areas as possible. It was noted that there are a small number of African language newspapers. Current affairs programmes were excluded.
Each item was measured in terms of length and content. Qualitative analysis was measured as positive, negative or neutral. It was noted that news has a commodity value and has to be popular. Thus positive and negative emphasis is determined according to key elements: recency, repetition, placement, use of headlines, language or application of metaphor, depiction of role players and representation. This has an impact on the positive or negative nature of news items.
The methodology utilised by the MMP is recognised internationally and was employed during the 1994 election by the Independent Media Commission. The classification of coverage into three broad categories - positive, negative and neutral - does represent a judgement on the part of the MMP utilising this methodology, and is necessarily general. These findings are useful in that they give a broad overview of coverage, and allow comparisons between different media and departments. They do not prove one way or the other that the media is 'fair' or 'unfair' to government, but give some indication of the way in which different media treat the same material.We have not, in any case, founded any major conclusions on these quantitative results. The MMP survey also provided useful qualitative findings based on interviews with media and government personnel.
3.7.1 What the survey found
News coverage
Influences on media coverage
There was a convergence of opinion from both media and government communicators that the following factors influence media coverage:
Structural Problems
Structural problems identified by government communicators include:
Breakdown of Coverage
Main Problems: Media
Main Problems: Government
The Task Group was directed to make recommendations in respect of how to improve government communications in an environment in which freedom of expression is evolving. The first principle that we have applied is that all our recommendations should involve the enhancement of freedom of expression, and that this fundamental constitutional guarantee should be nurtured.
We have, however identified five key areas which retard the free flow of information and in respect of which we will be making recommendations:
4.1 Ownership, Distribution and Control of the Media
At the time that the Task Group was appointed by the Deputy President, in January 1996, the South African media environment was characterised by a higher degree of concentration of ownership and control. The Task Group commissioned expert studies by Robin McGregor17, editor of 'Who Owns Whom', to investigate the extent of such concentration in the print sector. McGregor's findings confirmed the following:-
4.1.1 Indeed, as the year unfolded, and the Task Group researched the field, it became clear that two takeovers by black empowerment groups would further break up the duopoly. At the time of compiling this report, it would appear that Kagiso Trust Investments will obtain joint control of Perskor, a major player in the Afrikaans element of the duopoly, and that the National Empowerment Consortium (NEC), comprising a host of black empowerment organisations led by New Africa Investments Limited (NAIL), Worldwide African Investment Holdings (Pty) Ltd (WAIH), National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and South African Railways & Harbours Workers Union (SARHWU), would purchase a portion of the Anglo American stake in Johnnic, thereby giving the NEC a significant stake, and probably ultimate control, of the remaining large element in the English newspaper market, Times Media Limited. In addition, TML hived off its Eastern Cape interest into a separate company with a large black empowerment element and Nasionale Pers began divesting itself of City Press into a 51% Black owned group
It has therefore become clear that, both in the print sector and the existing commercial pay-television sector, the high degree of concentration of ownership has been extensively diluted in favour of foreign and black empowerment interests.
The rapidity with which these deals have occurred in a short space of time indicates that the factors that favoured the monopolistic ownership of the media under apartheid South Africa are diminishing. There is continuing pressure for a diversity of ownership in the media sector, and the Task Group is aware of a number of further deals in the pipeline that will continue to dilute the high level of concentration of ownership in the sector.
4.1.2 Moreover, the introduction of the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA), under the IBA Act, No 153 of 1993, has resulted in the regulation of control and ownership of broadcasting services, and contains specific anti-monopoly provisions, inter alia, limiting control of television stations, radio stations and introducing cross-media provisions. In a nutshell, no single person or entity may control more than one television station, two non-overlapping FM radio stations and two non-overlapping medium wave radio stations. Furthermore, any person who controls more than 20% of newspaper circulation in any particular licence area may not hold 15% or more of the equity in a broadcasting service in that licence area, by virtue of the cross-media regulations instituted by the IBA through its Triple Inquiry Report adopted by the National Assembly in early 1996.
4.1.3 In terms of the Triple Inquiry Report, it was further recommended by the IBA that the SABC convert itself into a national public broadcaster, and that its regional radio services be sold in accordance with IBA licence criteria. As the Task Group is reporting, the sale of the 6 regional radio stations namely Highveld in Johannesburg, Jacaranda based in Pretoria, East Coast Radio in Kwa-Zulu Natal, KFM in the Western Cape, Oranje based in Bloemfontein and Algoa in East London has almost been completed. The process has seen independent black empowerment groups teaming up with new and existing media groups in compliance with the limitations on ownership and control, ensuring a new diversity of voices in regional commercial radio across the country.
4.1.4 The SABC itself is in the process of converting itself, in accordance with the recommendations of the Triple Inquiry Report, into a national public broadcasting service (NPBS). At present there is an NPBS Bill before the Parliamentary portfolio Committee on Communications. Once adopted, the statutory mission of the NPBS will be defined in public broadcasting terms, rather than those of the existing Broadcasting Act, which allowed the SABC to operate, under apartheid, as a government broadcaster.
4.1.5 Moreover, over the past 2 years since its institution, the IBA has licensed more than 80 community radio stations, generally operating off low-powered transmitters in disadvantaged black areas in South Africa. The community radio sector has become a vibrant one, although it is fraught with problems relating to long-term sustainability and viability, issues which are addressed below and elsewhere in this report.
4.1.6 In the print media sector, there remain strong elements of the legacy of monopolistic control, particularly in the area of distribution and printing. The dominant distributor of English print media in the mass-market is Allied Publishing, controlled by the Independent and TML groups, and there are similar arrangements in the Afrikaans print media sector. Entry level hurdles for prospective media owners in this sector are characterised by distribution fees which are generally in the area of 40 - 50% of cover price demanded by these distribution monopolies. We had representations from regional players indicating that, aside from independent knock-and-drop operations and the Caxtons' local distribution system, there is very little choice for the newspaper or magazine proprietor but to go in with the distribution monopolies. On an even more local level, we heard submissions in the provinces to the effect that the Caxtons' regional distribution system of knock-and-drop in itself constituted a monopoly in that sector, and that if regional newspapers in the non-metropolitan areas did not go in with Caxtons, they faced an uphill battle to enter the market. It was made apparent that the costs of setting up a distribution system, except in an extremely limited area, are excessive.
The pattern that emerges in the survey of ownership and control of the print media sector is one which is repeated in many other sectors of the South African economy. A high degree of concentration of ownership and control is beginning to be challenged by the forces of foreign investment and black empowerment. But, these forces are not strong enough, nor sufficiently directed, to alter entrenched anti-competitive and restrictive practices in the industry, and it is our submission that the appropriate authority should address these practices as a matter of urgency. The Task Group is of the view that ownership and control of the print media should continue to be broadened in a number of respects, so as to reflect the demographics of South African society. The breaking down of barriers in respect of the national and international media market has had a strong effect upon the concentration of media ownership in the print media sector, but to achieve a more rapid introduction of a competitive market in this sector, it would be necessary for newspaper ownership to be tested against revamped competitions policy in South Africa. This policy will be presented by the Minister of Trade & Industry to the National Economic and Development Labour Advisory Council (NEDLAC) in the form of a discussion paper in the coming few months. In the interim, we believe that the anti-competitive and restrictive practices that occur in the distribution sphere should be transformed into an operation conducted on a common carrier basis.18
At the Caledon Colloquium in October 1996, both the representatives of Nasionale Pers and Allied Publishing indicated that they would welcome the breaking down of the newspaper distribution monopoly in South Africa. It was felt that there was a need for regulations requiring the mass distributors of newspapers to be obligated in law with common carrier provisions, much along the lines of newspaper distributors in the UK. Accordingly, we make recommendations in this report setting out the framework of regulations that would impose common carrier status upon the mass newspaper distribution systems in South Africa. This would enable smaller and emerging newspapers to be dealt with fairly and equitably by these distributors. The regulations would undoubtedly involve tariff provisions which should be established in consultation with the Department of Trade & Industry.
4.2 Funding and Resources for the National Public Broadcaster
Whereas the SABC under Nationalist Party Rule, was essentially a Government Broadcaster, the IBA Act envisages its transformation into an NPBS. The Triple Enquiry Report of the IBA made it clear that in order to establish the three tier system of broadcasting, namely public, community, and private, which the IBA Act provided for, a strong NPBS needed to be funded and subsidised. The IBA Report and the National Assembly Minute state as follows:
'Parliament should provide funding on a triennial basis for:
In the same Report, it was accepted by Parliament that 'selling off the six stations (the regional commercial stations) as soon as possible is the best financial option for the SABC'. It was envisaged by the IBA, as endorsed by the National Assembly, that the proceeds of the sale of the radio stations would go some way towards dealing with the funding of a strong NPBS. The establishment of an NPBS is critical to the establishment of a wider productive and competitive broadcasting industry, with all its attendant benefits for the development of the country in the future. The essential policy goal of a diversity of voices is not only related to freedom of expression, but also to the establishment of a healthy broadcasting industry that will contribute to the prosperity of the country and the development of a South African identity of culture.
In this new three tier system of broadcasting, although there would obviously be an overlapping of roles between the three sectors, each sector would have an essential core competence. The NPBS' core competence would be in the field of public service, and public service includes the communication of government policies and programmes in fields of essential public service such as education, health and public works.
In the difficult process of transformation that the SABC is going through, we have detected a desire on its part to fulfil this core need. Indeed, the SABC went ahead with the recommendations of the Triple Enquiry Report, and sold off the six radio stations, in the belief that the benefits would be passed on to the NPBS. It now appears, however, that the proceeds from the sales of the stations will not be passed on to the SABC, and that they will be paid directly into the Central Revenue Fund. This has created a disjuncture between financing and policy in respect of the public broadcasting service, which cannot bode well for public broadcasting in the future.
The fact that the proceeds of the sale are being paid into the Central Revenue Fund does not mean that funds that have been generated in this way cannot be attributed to the public service functions of the SABC. The Task Group feels that the resolution of Parliament to provide funding on a triennial basis for these public service broadcasting functions should be followed through. It is encouraging to note that the IBA will be sitting down with the SABC and government in an attempt to resolve the funding crisis that has emerged. What is needed is a mechanism that will ensure the proper functioning of the triennial budgeting process so as to eliminate crisis management in this area and promote the even development of public service broadcasting. In our recommendations, we suggest that the appropriate mechanism in the first instance would be the recommended Cabinet Committee to be headed by the Deputy President.19
4.3 Lack of Resources for Community and Independent Media
4.3.1 The community and independent media sector suffered mixed fortunes during the transition period in South Africa. In the 1980s, there was a fairly vibrant alternative press with a number of titles, but it would appear that only the Weekly Mail and the New Nation, both weeklies, survived that period. Both of these titles have survived because of intervention from stronger publishing players. NAIL assumed ownership of the New Nation, and the Weekly Mail was renamed the Mail & Guardian, after Guardian Media, of London and Manchester, England, took a controlling stake.
On the other hand, the community media sector flourished in the 1990s. A number of factors have been found to be responsible for this development after hearing much testimony from players in this sector:
4.3.1.1 The formation of the National Community Media Forum (NCMF) which has facilitated a strong front of development-orientated community newspapers throughout South Africa, concentrating in the peri-urban and rural areas and incorporating a strong student press;
4.3.1.2 The recognition in the IBA Act of the need for community radio licences and the growth of more than 80 community radio stations. At least 40 of these stations can be characterised as stations specialising in developmental community news and information;
4.3.1.3 The development of the Independent Media Diversity Trust (IMDT) which, although presently under-financed, has provided massive support to community radio stations and community prints media since its inception in 1994. The IMDT receives the bulk of its funds from foreign donor governments and foreign non-governmental organisations, but has also received more than a million rands from the South African print media sector (Argus, TML and Nationale Pers).
4.3.1.4 The IMDT is seen by the NCMF and all the relevant stakeholders as the appropriate interim funding institution until a Media Development Agency (MDA) is recognised by government. We believe that such a body should be instituted by government, comprising independently elected trustees, that will operate a recognised subsidy system for community and independent newspapers in certain instances. As in the public broadcasting sector, we have found that although there are appropriate mechanisms for the funding of community media, there appears to be a need for a structured relationship between government, the donor community and the agency which administers the funds for community media. A plan needs to be developed by the three players in the interim, namely government, funding agencies and foreign governments, and the IMDT, that will ensure that the process of funding community media through an independent agency is strengthened and facilitated.20
4.4 Censorship Legislation on the Statute Books
Notwithstanding the fact that groups such as the Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI)21 and numerous other organisations have petitioned the government to scrap the remaining censorship laws, very little progress has been made with this task. The Government has undertaken over the years to attend to the list of statues that needs to be repealed, and to introduce the appropriate scrapping legislation in Parliament. This has not been done. The effect of this is that certain legislation which fundamentally conflicts with the right of freedom of expression, not only remains on the Statute Books, but is, on occasion, selectively used by the authorities. A classic example of this is the abuse of Section 205 in respect of the PAGAD (People Against Gangsterism and Drugs) investigation in the Western Cape. Our finding is that antiquated censorship legislation should be scrapped from the statute books as a matter of urgency.
4.5 Journalistic Standards in South Africa
We have received submissions from experts in the field of journalism and media studies including Professor Guy Berger of Rhodes University in Grahamstown,22 and a submission from the Institute for the Advancement of Journalism which is run by Mr Allister Sparks.23 It would appear that these and other experts who spoke to the Task Group believe that journalism in South Africa has been badly run down. Journalism appears to have become a depleted and somewhat demoralised profession. The little that was done to train black journalists and prepare them for advancement into positions of decision making authority placed enormous burdens on trained black journalists in the post 94-period. Many of the country's best black newspaper journalists were drawn into government jobs as well as senior managerial positions in the SABC and other media groups, in the period 1994 - 1996. The result is that newsrooms throughout the country are understaffed and juniorised. There are few reporters with more than three or four years experience. Only a handfull are over the age of 30. This means that important assignments are being handled by inexperienced, over-worked and young reporters. The result is that there is an unacceptably high rate of misjudgment and error. Compounding the problem is a lack of experience and professionalism on the part of government media liaison staff. It is the Task Group's view that the situation will improve as more black graduates enter the profession, and as greater media diversity develops. Our recommendations in relation to a training function in the new government communication and information system, proposed by the Task Group, if adopted, will also contribute to the resolution of this problem.24
'A society beginning to move from one epoch to another requires the development of an especially flexible, critical spirit. Lacking such a spirit, men cannot perceive the marked contradictions that occur in society as emerging values in search of affirmation and fulfilment clash with earlier values seeking self-preservation'.
Paulo Freire
5.1 The lack of a culture of free flowing information in South Africa is hindered by a number of factors. The print media does not reach the majority of the population. Communications infrastructure and public infrastructure has ignored many millions of the urban poor and rural masses. Information is both a right and an essential ingredient in economic development. Without an extension of access to information, South Africa will be unable to generate sustained growth to meet the developmental needs of its population. The development challenges are, therefore, many and varied.
5.2 The government should be a centre of excellence. It should embrace access to information by developing an across-the-board policy - through education, research, development, personal needs, decision-making needs and mass communications.
5.3 The language used for communication must be appropriate and simple. Providers of information will be required to have communications skills that meet the needs of the people in both rural and urban settings. This will enable the government to provide the disempowered with access to information in whatever form is relevant.25
5.4 An efficient government information system should, in addition, make provision for a two-way system of communication. The development of the public service, and meeting the goals established for the reform of the public service to become open, transparent and accountable, is a general goal for all approaches to government information management. The people should be able to express their views to government and vice versa. This interactive means of information-sharing will enable the people to gain access to government information affecting all aspects of their daily lives.
5.5 The disadvantaged communities in rural and urban areas of the South African society should be the main targets for an enhanced development information system. Historically disadvantaged communities have been deprived of information related to their economies, education, cultures and societies. The beneficiaries of a developed information system, therefore, range from individuals to civil society.
5.6 The development challenges facing the GCIS in South Africa mean that a number of objectives need to be accomplished in a reasonably short period of time. Broad objectives could be listed as follows:
5.6.1 determination of the information needs of clients;
5.6.2 development of the necessary communication and public infrastructure to deliver the information;
5.6.3 dissemination of this information in an appropriate and timely format;
5.6.4 promotion of innovative and non-traditional means of disseminating information that incorporates learning, teaching, management and services in addition to conventional approaches to make information useful to clients;
5.6.5 raising the awareness of the availability of government information to all South Africans in compliance with relevant legislation.
5.7 Important features of the Development communication system:
5.7.1 implementation of the quickest, most cost-efficient means of disseminating development information in appropriate languages;
5.7.2 participation in innovative strategies of information-sharing for human development and playing a leading role in producing state-of-the-art development information;
5.7.3 establishment of directories of information resources available in government on all subjects, but with a special emphasis on development issues and nation-building;
5.7.4 utilisation of electronic devices wherever possible to enable people to make inquiries and retrieve information;
5.7.5 development of partnerships with designated Presidential Lead Projects to establish multi-purpose community centres (MPCCs) which disseminate useful information on government and other matters in a user-friendly manner to members of the community; and
5.7.6 acknowledgement that informal (indigenous) information plays a significant role in developing countries. A major development challenge is to harness this latent potential into a coherent contribution to the needs of the government communication service. Indigenous information is largely unstructured, very informal in extent and content, quite spontaneous and embedded in a cultural context.
The various components listed above illustrate the range of issues to be taken into account and are not supposed to be definitive.
5.8 Networking
The overall system will need to take into account not only the government structures described above, but also the thousands of institutions involved: institutes attached to universities, the private sector, civil society, NGOs, CBOs, and international organisations.
Government communication needs to take into account the varied nature of development information. There is a need for a wide range of information services.
The system can only meet needs through partnerships with others in the information industries to provide adequate supply and training to the population. Providers of information cannot cope with the often bewildering complexity of their environment.
Opportunities offered by new information technology must be identified and utilised. Caution must be exercised to avoid inappropriate technology and misleading technological solutions. An understanding of the problem, the possible solutions and the available technology is crucial.
Networking is an essential element of empowerment. This implies a building of information communication links to serve as early warning and support systems in librarianship and information work with the related professions. It is necessary to link individuals and professionals, users and other stakeholders notwithstanding professional and institutional differences.
Greater political awareness is also essential. Prevailing political, administrative and legal initiatives and the multiplicity of forums, policy documents, green or white papers and 'processes' in which the changing social context of libraries and information are addressed need to be monitored. The information and referral services should be capable of keeping all their clients informed through documents pertaining to these developments. Useful information on all social, political or economic activities should also be provided by information systems.
5.9 Linkages
5.9.1 Libraries26
The public library system could be a focal point in information dissemination to the community. This system can provide facilities for the dissemination efforts of various ministries and agencies to inform and educate the general public as part of individual growth and development.
Modern public libraries could quite easily install community resource databases as the foundation of community information services, which help people to deal with government. In the USA, for example, many libraries assist their users in completing their income tax forms. Community resource databases, in addition to external and documented information sources, list information resources and expertise found in the community itself as an important factor in the empowerment of the community.
The library could provide access to databases giving access to government and private tenders and related documentation and can further assist members of the community who wish to tender for contracts.
Libraries of all types should be promoted as agencies of the government information and communication system and for the affirmation of South Africa's cultural diversity. By collecting and exhibiting or promoting materials in our various indigenous languages and reflecting our diverse cultures, libraries can contribute to increasing mutual understanding and tolerance.
Libraries in South Africa must be the subject of a 're-think'. There is a need, however, to extend the public library network into historically black areas. Underutilised public buildings could be used for this. Realignment and reconceptualisation of libraries should result in all the people of South Africa receiving this service. This implies adaptation in the selection and organisation of materials, opening hours and services, siting and accommodation of libraries. Libraries need to be realigned in relation to other organs of society such as community centres, schools and trade unions. The philosophical assumptions of school and community library work need to be reconsidered and many librarians need to be re-educated.
Opportunities are presented in the form of the recent development of resource centres, which can co-operate with each other.
5.9.2 Multi-Purpose Community Centres27
The Multi-Purpose Community Centre (MPCC) concept is known by various other names such as Multi-Purpose Information Centres (MPIC), Telekiosks, Multi-Purpose Telecentres (MPTC) and so on. The nomenclature used to describe the concept differs according to the perspective of the persons involved. The envisaged centres are designated for a multitude of different purposes relating to the community they are supposed to serve.
Multi-Purpose Community Centres (MPCCs) or Multi-Purpose Information Centres (MPICs) can be used as focal points for empowering historically disadvantaged communities in collecting, analysing and sharing information related to their developmental needs.
An MPCC/MPIC should be an open structure that invites existing institutions, organisations and agencies to network or form a clearinghouse for development information. The MPIC should be capable of providing developmental information, not as an end product, but as a means for growth and development. All members of the MPCC should be concerned with providing useful and accurate information to communities in an appropriate way. The most important aspects of MPCCs are that they should be user-oriented, adaptable to local conditions and designed to be accessible to the communities they serve. The dispersal of MPCCs in communities is crucial to their success.
There are a number of burning questions to answer before any MPCC moves from concept to reality. The caution here is that these answers should, by and large, be supplied by the 'clients', i.e. the community. In view of the wide diversity of organisations and viewpoints involved, meaningful co-ordination of the creation and establishment of MPCCs is most important.
In spite of all MPCCs having generic features, problems and solutions, each MPCC is unique to a specific community and as individual as a thumbprint.
5.9.3 Theatre
The use of street theatre and drama by existing local dramatists, buskers and other performers using mime and the local vernacular could be an effective communication tool in rural areas. Training of troupes in government communications could be implemented through workshops. This non-traditional form of communication could benefit the outreach programmes of government communications for those without access to electronic forms of media or information about their lives. This could harness indigenous talent and uses oral communication which is culturally acceptable.
5.9.4 Telecommunications: Expanding Capacity
There is universal recognition that an efficient and accessible telecommunications infrastructure is an essential prerequisite for government to accelerate social development and economic growth. Such an infrastructure permits the exchange and dissemination of vital information among citizens' educational, cultural, health, welfare and other institutions. Therefore, it is of critical importance that telecommunications infrastructure be pervasive.28
5.9.4.1 It is also widely recognised that the Internet provides the capability to access national, international, local and regional information on countless subjects. In most cases, Internet access is readily available to universities, research institutions, business and private citizens in developed countries as well as in most urbanised areas of developing countries. There is, however, still a price attached to Internet access.
5.9.4.2 A viable route would be to couple a pervasive broadband information/ telecommunications infrastructure with country-wide Internet access. This would facilitate inter alia:
5.9.4.3 The above applications and many others require a universal broadband telematic networking infrastructure. Telkom, while aware of this need, is focusing on the provision of basic telephones through its Vision 2000 project. The suggestion is, therefore, to supplement Telkom's activities in broadband infrastructure and Internet provision by approaching other service providers.
5.9.4.4 One means of extending this infrastructure is through the concept of the Community Information Delivery System (CIDS). This is a locally-developed and engineered technology focusing on networking infrastructure for delivery of content to remote sites by means of a low-cost, high bandwidth wireless network, which is rapidly deployable. It provides links between an information source and areas without fixed infrastructure. This technology is currently installed at several sites in the Pretoria area (Garsfontein, Lynwood, several schools and a community centre in Mamelodi and at a rural education centre east of Pretoria Ubuntu Centre).
5.9.5 The costs of developing this infrastructure runs into billions of rands. It is not within the scope of the Task Group's enquiry to cost such efforts. However, the need for an integrated programme co-ordinated within government to expand infrastructure is evident. Without this, whatever content or packages for information are developed, will continue to be accessible to a minority only.
5.9.6 The regulatory framework is critical.29 government lacks the skills, the technology and the finance to put this infrastructure in place. The private sector, in particular international finance and expertise, will be essential if the majority of South Africans are to become part of an information society.
5.10 Capacity building
The task of development cannot really be addressed until indigenous capabilities are established to access, acquire and utilise development information that has bearing on local information problems. A major trend in information resource management (IRM) is to facilitate access to stores of information otherwise unavailable. Government capacity-building initiatives should be developed and exploited to the fullest wherever possible in order to make the most efficient use of the limited resources available in South Africa.
Training and capacity-building will provide insight into information systems. Such initiatives will afford the participants the opportunity to formalise plans for the development of information-sharing networks between government and the existing information resources. Training will also investigate the properties and factors governing information flow as well as methods of processing information for optimum accessibility and utility.
5.11 Training
The development of improved capacity and effective affirmative action across the board in the communication profession requires that new partnerships be established between the various role players. There is great potential for the government to initiate this process and involve the relevant schools of communication in the universities and technikons, specialised bodies such as the IBA, the SABC and the private sector. Both the PRISA and AAA, and a number of newspapers already funding training have indicated their willingness to join a collaborative effort with government.30 In this way, government resources could be matched with the private sector. Programmes could be developed which assist the government and non-governmental sectors. If this is to happen, the funding stakeholders should be involved in the development and governance of such schemes. Special joint-funding arrangements should be established.
6.1 Introduction
International communication trends in the latter quarter of the 20th Century have been influenced by a number of profound changes in the way governments interact with the population. These trends have been triggered by:
6.2 International Best Practice
In view of the lack of a tradition of open government in South Africa, the Task Group made the identification of best practice in communications within the international community a priority. With financial support and advice from the United Nations and Commonwealth, the Group broke into teams of two or three and visited a wide range of countries. The policies and practices of 19 countries and four inter-governmental organisations were examined.31
The Task Group believes this experience provided a very important template of ideas and practices to discuss South African solutions. The following is a distillation of the main lessons learned.
In general, we found that governments distinguish between day-to-day media work (their relationship with the press and electronic media) and longer term development or information provision. We also found that most countries have some centralised information capacity within government.
6.3 Media Relations - International Recipes For Success
In the countries visited, government gave very high priority to the organisation and conduct of their relations with the media. We noted the following key components of the systems we examined:
6.4 Development Communications - Informing Citizens and Creating a Culture of Access.
Electronic media is the most powerful way for government to communicate with citizens. In many larger developing countries such as Brazil, Egypt, Malaysia and India, access to TV is significantly higher (90% or higher) than South Africa (best estimated at 45%). In most developing countries visited, however, the government has had to address the problems of illiteracy and inadequate access to information for poorer and rural communities through active programmes of information provision through centres or mobile information units.
TV and radio, in that order, remain the media of choice for governments in developed and developing countries alike. Particularly in developing countries, the messages are not always delivered directly, but use more popular methods - such as TV 'soaps', cultural performances, use of sport and cultural personalities - to get across messages in areas such a health, population and farming methods.
'Slots' or spaces for formal communication from government to the population are not uncommon. The head of government is normally accorded the right to address the nation when he/she considers it necessary, and the broadcaster is responsible for ensuring that adequate right of reply or comment is accorded to the elected opposition. The US President has a regular 15 minutes slot on national public radio. In Brazil all radio stations are required to broadcast a one-hour programme called the Voice of Brazil each evening. In the Czech Republic, the Prime Minister answers questions for five minutes each week on the private TV channel. In Senegal and Tanzania all political parties are given regular slots on TV and radio. Overall, we found that formal communications from government in this format lacked public interest.
Radio is a crucial vehicle for development information and is used in many countries to reach remote or disadvantaged communities. community radio is highly effective and is supported financially in many countries, from the richest to the poorest. Second, technology has the capacity to help developing countries to reduce the high cost of getting information to the poorest communities by making it more accessible and cheaper to deliver. In Egypt, for example, local information centres are served from a central agency and have impressive data bases. In Senegal, video units travel the country to bring materials to rural communities.
6.5 Delivering Government Information-Minimum Central Capacities
Most governments have a central information or service provision agency. Increasingly, these bodies are not spokespersons but ensure good standards and centralise the analytical capacity. They are mainly 'service providers' of:
In line with the current trend in developments in international public service practice, the tendency is for the central agency to outsource (sub-contract) the production and supply of many required services to the private sector.
6.6 Conclusions
The trend is for central government communications structures to become streamlined and exist, not in a controlling but in a co-ordinating capacity. In this model, the structure consists of a few people whose main responsibility is to strategise around policy and appropriate messages.
In tune with strengthened notions of accountability of government to the electorate, this core group tends to be in direct and constant touch with top management - such as Cabinet and senior politicians and is usually located in the officer of the President, Prime Minister, and so on.
The core group consists of the chief communicator in the head of government's office, together with chief communicators from the ministries. In this way, co-ordination of government messages is achieved.
The emphasis is on professionalism. Top communicators enjoy comparatively high status and rank. In some cases they may be political appointees of the various ministers and in others they may be civil servants.
The trend is away from duplication of services offered by civil society, and a separate department of information arm of government which maintains extensive production facilities and tries to duplicate professional services offered by the private sector. 'Government should do what government can do best'.
Thus implementation is generally outsourced. Actual production work is contracted out with skills bought from the various professional services available through the private sector. (Advertising agencies, public relations, video, research, and so on).
Substantial cost savings are effected through bulk buying of services such as advertising and research. In the UK, the Central Office of Information (COI) acts as buying agent for the government. In 1994-95 a saving of 30,8% was achieved.
6.7 General Trends
In conclusion, a number of definite trends are identifiable within public sector development in both developed and developing countries:
6.8 Environmental issues which should be noted.
There are a number of environmental issues which should be noted, but which are not dealt with in detail:
7.1 South African Missions Abroad
During its consultations with other governments, the Task Group met with 19 South African missions and with commentators and officials in 19 countries on how South Africa was perceived and on the ways in which it was being promoted.32
We were impressed with the determination of South African representatives to market South Africa. In general, abundant goodwill still exists for South Africa around the globe.
However, a large majority of those we met sounded alarm bells - over a rising perception of the problems besetting the country and the end of the 'honeymoon' period for South Africa.
The lack of a strategy and co-ordination in projecting South African policies and priorities was expressed forcefully by heads of mission, and most strongly by the HoM in the five G7 countries visited. Their points are worth noting in full.
7.2 Foreign communication efforts of host governments
During the visits, the Task Group also investigated the foreign communication efforts of host governments. By comparison, the standard of South Africa's services is below that provided by most countries, especially those which are its main economic partners or competitors. Unless this problem is addressed, it will be difficult for South Africa to mount and sustain the drive needed to maximise the economic and political benefits from the existing international goodwill.
7.3 The growth of electronic information systems
The growth of electronic information systems has transformed the scale of information exchange available to consumers and institutions seeking data. This is especially important in the trade and commerce field, but also in news and information. Virtually every government we visited in Europe, the Americas and Asia, is ahead of South Africa in this area. Comparable developing countries have sites, and major efforts are made to make commercial and statistical information available this way. South Africa needs to develop a national website into which all departments can provide data. There is also an urgent need to provide each mission with access to the Internet, and to improve the level of technology available to them.
7.4 Close co-operation between the trade and political arms of government
Close co-operation between the trade and political arms of government is a feature elsewhere, but seems to be lacking in South Africa. For example, in Egypt and Hungary, the Foreign Ministries operate and integrate cultural, trade and political information services utilising the Internet and diplomatic/cultural missions. In Britain, the concept of 'public diplomacy' is used to advance British interests through an integrated programme led by the foreign ministry, but involving other departments and institutions: visits and exchanges, the BBC world service, the news and information arm of the government, as well as trade promotion and information services. The advantage of these approaches is that they explicitly target key groups such as commerce and industry, support communities or exiles, as part of foreign policy activity. These approaches define many of the reforms and developments in foreign policy delivery in the countries we visited. In general, we found that co-operation with the other important arms of government involved internationally, such as Trade and Industry and SATOUR, was insufficient.
7.5 Conclusion
We found much to be encouraged by in our visits, particularly in terms of the morale and professionalism of South Africa's representatives. The emergence of a highly competitive international economy, and the range of demands placed on South Africa because of its history, place unique demands on the country's foreign policy machinery. These will require the leadership of the Department of Foreign Affairs but also the co-operation of other branches of government if South Africa is to exploit fully the opportunities which exist.
The findings reflected in the previous chapters represent some of the results of eight months of investigation, research and intensive discussion. The Task Group has sought to reach conclusions that:
8.1 Opening up a dialogue: a new philosophy of communications
Modern communications theory is based on the notion of dialogue. That is, in order to be successful, the communicator must be both communicator and audience. In order to achieve this, old style notions of communications as a way of 'telling' people