Government and Media Liaison (G&ML)
Chief Director: Neo Momodu
Tel: 012 314 2108
Fax: 012 326 0317
E-mail: neom@gcis.gov.za
G&ML's purpose is to provide a comprehensive and coherent media and government liaison service.
Responsibilities of the Chief Director include:
- being member of the GCIS Secretariat, a strategising body chaired by the CEO
- managing the sections in the Chief Directorate
- overall budget and personnel in the Chief Directorate
- providing strategic direction to the Chief Directorate.
G&ML comprises the following programmes:
- News Service
- National Liaison
- International and Media Liaison
- Communication Centre
- Parliamentary Liaison Office.
Directorate: News Service
Director:
Roze Moodley
Tel: 012 314 2224
Fax: 012 321 2804
Cell: 084 500 3289
E-mail: roze@gcis.gov.za
The function of BuaNews is to provide community radio stations, newspapers and other media, locally and internationally, easy and fast access to fresh government information, news and current affairs at no cost.
Directorate: National Liaison (NL)
Director:
Legadima Leso
Tel: 012 314 2125
Fax: 012 321 2305
Cell: 083 378 9495
E-mail: legadima@gcis.gov.za
National Liaison promotes interdepartmental co-ordination and co-operation on communication matters through systems and structures established by GCIS.
Deputy Director: Lwando Mahlasela
Tel: 012 314 2286
Fax: 012 321 2305
E-mail: lwando@gcis.gov.za
Deputy Director: Michelle Greeff
Tel: 012 314-2208
Fax: 012 321-2305
E-mail: michelle@gcis.gov.za
Deputy Director: Walter Shibamba
Tel: 012 314-2322
Fax: 012 321-2305
E-mail: walter@gcis.gov.za
Deputy Director: Itumeleng Bokaba
Tel: 012 314-2921
Fax: 012 321-2305
E-mail: itumeleng2@gcis.gov.za
Deputy Director: Moepeng Tshwane
Tel: 012 314-2920
Fax: 012 321-2305
E-mail: moepeng@gcis.gov.za
The functions of the directorate include:
- Government Communicators' Handbook: The Handbook provides simple guidelines and reference tools around government communication, including the government communication strategy, media liaison, campaign management, development communication, understanding of government policy, marketing and advertising and managing the corporate identity of government.
- Bua Magazine: Bua Magazine is an electronic magazine aimed at government communicators. The magazine aims to improve the flow of information among government communicators.
- Communicators' Web (Government Communicators' Forum [GCF] website): The Communicators' Web or GCF website is an electronic information platform containing contact information and updated information affecting government communicators. It enables them to access documents such as minutes, presentations, resolutions and other interesting material relating to the GCF and relevant information associated with the profession. It is a password-protected page as it also contains strategic documents.
- Calendar of Events: The aim of this initiative is to enable government communicators to share their plans for public activities and programmes. It enables them to take advantage of the opportunities created by other departments for bilateral work, to be more sensitive to the environment within which information is released and approaches are taken, and to be more proactive in setting the Government agenda.
- Key Performance Area report cards for Heads of Communication (HoCs): Report cards are sent to Directors-General (DGs) during assessments in March, as prescribed in Cabinet Memo 16 of 2000. The memo mandates GCIS to become part of the 'assessing authority' on the participation of HoCs in the Government communication system. The report is part of an ongoing process aimed at alerting HoCs of their active or lack of participation in the Government communication system and assists the departmental performance management processes.
- Government Communicators' Awards (GCA):
The awards are conferred to recognise improved delivery, innovation and excellence in the government communications profession. The Awards are held at a gala ceremony in December and all government communicators are eligible. Securing sponsorship forms a main part of the project.
- Database of government communicators: The Directorate: NL is responsible for government communications' central database and distributes information to all government communicators. The database is updated regularly. It also assists us to keep tabs on the communicators leaving and joining government to ensure they attend the orientation programme and that it reflects on the report cards.
- Government Communicators' Forum: The GCF is a forum in which all communicators from national and provincial spheres of government meet and strategise for communication. It further provides a platform for government communicators to plan and identify communication opportunities across all spheres through substantive discussions and joint planning to fulfil the Government's commitment of accelerating service delivery to ensure a better life for all. This forum is convened three times a year by the Directorate: NL.
- Communication clusters : Clusters are constituted by national HoCs at Chief Director level. They meet to co-ordinate and plan communication of departmental projects and programmes, assessing and planning issues arising from Cabinet and DG clusters, plan and assess the implementation of departmental communication strategies and share information. Communication clusters meet once per month starting from February to November.
There are five communication clusters:- Social Sector cluster chaired by the Department of Social Development
- Economic Investment and Employment cluster chaired by the Department of Trade and Industry
- Justice, Crime Prevention and Security cluster chaired by the South African Police Service
- Governance and Administration cluster chaired by the Department of Public Service and Administration
- International Relations, Peace and Security (IRPS) cluster chaired by the Department of Foreign Affairs.
- Ministerial Liaison Officers (MLOs) Forum: This forum assists in nurturing relations with the media and come up with plans of action on how best to work in a more constructive manner. It convenes thrice yearly.
- Submission of strategies, assessment and feedback to departments: The Directorate: NL facilitates the development of departmental communication strategies. Once developed, they are forwarded to the Directorate: Policy for alignment and assessment and a report card is developed for each strategy outlining strengths, weaknesses as well as recommendations. Presently, feedback is given back collectively to departments and provinces at the GCF. Departments are also sent individual assessment reports from the Directorate: Policy through the Directorate: NL.
- Building a communication system at local government level: As a recommendation of the Comtask Report (1996), government communication in all three spheres of government should be systematised and co-ordinated. This can be achieved if strategising is centralised and implementation remains decentralised. Local government is at the coalface of service delivery. It becomes immediately important for communication to be strengthened at that level too. The CEO of GCIS, DG of the Department of Provincial and Local Government and the CEO of the South African Local Government Association entered into a Memorandum of Understanding to facilitate the establishment of communication structures at local government level
- Induction of government communicators: Communication has proven to be a mobile career with communicators coming in and going out of government at a rapid pace. New communicators get thrown into the deep end with proper orientation of how the system operates. This largely affects those who are recruited from the private sector. The Directorate: NL arranges a one-day orientation session for new communicators. The programme was inaugurated in 2004 and will be conducted once a year unless otherwise demanded by circumstances.
- Provincial HoCs' meetings: The GCIS Executive Committee meeting with provincial HoCs is a platform for provincial government communicators to meet with the management of GCIS. Provinces are assisted with communication challenges and aligning their communication strategies with the national communication strategy. The meeting is held prior to every GCF three times a year and is also attended by the GCIS regional managers.
- Communication Planning meeting with the GCIS CEO: The meeting is a platform where communicators, together with the GCIS Exco, scan the environment to identify issues that might need a response and also plan for current affairs for cabinet. This also includes the development of key messages for distribution to Cabinet members.
Directorate: International and Media Liaison (I&ML)
Director: Bongiwe Gambu
Tel: 012 314 2148
Fax: 012 326 0317
E-mail:bongiwe@gcis.gov.za
I&ML provides professional media liaison leadership and support to government. It also renders media liaison functions to the domestic and international media. It also provides international liaison communication support to government and multilateral institutions on issues that involve the South African government
There are two subdirectorates:
Subdirectorate: Media Liaison
The functions of Media Liaison are:
- developing media strategies and plans for major government projects
- writing, editing and compiling material for government campaigns
- arranging regular press events and briefings for the media on behalf of government
- facilitating the annual Media Briefing Week following the State of the Nation Address in February
- facilitating the regular Programme of Action media briefings conducted throughout the year
- providing media liaison support to government departments
- holding media and government communicators’ informal interactions to enhance relations
- providing support for State visits and other events on request.
Subdirectorate: International Liaison
Deputy Director: Balosang Sanki Lerefolo
Tel: 012 314 2112
Fax: 012 326 0317
Cell: 082 836 8703
E-mail: sanki@gcis.gov.za
The functions of International Liaison are:
- managing and providing strategic communication support on the African Union, New Partnership for Africa’s Development, Pan African Parliament, Southern African Development Community (SADC) and other multilaterals and international relations issues
- assisting in the development and implementation of communication strategies on government campaigns and projects
- managing international visitors and exchange programme in collaboration with the relevant departments
- monitoring international conferences and workshops relevant to South Africa
- ensuring the provision of information and communication support services for South African Missions abroad
- accrediting foreign journalists
- liaising with foreign journalists and opinion-makers.
Subdirectorate: Communication Centre
Deputy Director:
Annalie Language
The functions of Communication Centre are:
- monitoring the print and electronic media to keep government communicators informed about developments within the communication environment
- providing clients with copies of radio and television news and actuality programmes on request
- providing summaries of electronic news coverage three times daily
- providing a newspaper clipping service of national and regional newspapers.
Clients to the Communication Centre include the Presidency, ministries, national and provincial departments, local government, embassies and statutory bodies.
Directorate: Parliamentary Liaison
Director: Ms Liezel Cerf
Tel: 021 461 8146
Fax: 021 461 1446
Email: liezil@gcis.gov.za
Parliamentary Liaison renders media liaison and communication services to Government in the Parliamentary precinct and also provides government information to Members of Parliament and the public through its Information Resource Centre (IRC).
