Issued by: Government Communication Information System
30 August 2001
RESPONSE TO QUERIES ON COST OF THE ADVERTISEMENT CAMPAIGN ON THE GENERAL STRIKE
In the light of queries from the media and comments on the costs of the government advertisement campaign concerning the general strike called by Cosatu, GCIS wishes to provide the following information:
The total cost was R838 973,45.
This sum should be seen in the context of the issues at stake and the national costs at play.
These include a substantial proportion (amounting to billions of Rand) of our national wealth in the form of public enterprises, which need restructuring in the interests of reconstruction and development.
They include the impact of a two-day strike on the economy. Nor should the costs of the impact on the value of our national currency be ignored.
More critical still is the unquantifiable but very great cost to the country's body politic that would derive from the public being misled about the issues at stake.
Taking these facts into consideration government was obliged to put the record straight, in the shortest possible time and with widest possible reach.
Issued by: Government Communications (GCIS)
For further information contact:
Abba Omar [Deputy CEO]
082-414-3383