Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Contact the GCIS Information Centre, which will provide you with the required information or refer you to the relevant government institution. Tel: (012) 314 2211; Fax: (012) 325 6898; e-mail: information@gcis.gov.za
   
2. The SA Government Online (outside link) website provides government information, as well as access to government websites
   
3. FAQs (outside link) on government and government-related issues are available on the SA Government Information (outside link) website.

Communication clusters comprise the heads of communication (chief directors) of national, line-function departments. The chair of the cluster is always the head of communication of the lead department in the cluster. There are five clusters and they meet once a month at GCIS. The objectives of these meetings are to co-ordinate and plan communication of departmental projects and programmes, to assess and plan issues arising from Cabinet and the DG Clusters, to plan and assess the implementation of departmental communication strategies and to share information.

The DG clusters comprise the directors-general of the same departments as the communication clusters and the same department serves as chair of the cluster. Communication cluster programmes are informed by the decisions of the DG clusters.

Housing - Chairperson

Social Development - Deputy Chairperson

Defence - Deputy Chairperson

Contact:
Amanda Scheepers
Tel: 012 314 2165
E-mail: amanda@gcis.gov.za
or
Delien Burger
Tel: 012 314 2410
E-mail: delien@gcis.gov.za

BuaNews is one of the services of the Chief Directorate: Government and Media Liaison. This government news service provides media and readers locally and internationally with government news and information. Media can utilise BuaNews articles at no charge.

Please visit the BuaNews website and follow the link to subscribe.

Government communication efforts are co-ordinated in the following ways:

• GCIS regional offices participate in communication forums in the provinces and work together with provincial communication counterparts.
• Regional offices play a supportive role in setting up communication forums at district or local level.
• Regional offices share the core messages and content of the national government communication strategy with their provincial communication counterparts.

Thusong Service Centres are one-stop centres where local, provincial and national government, as well as other service-providers, offer services and information about government programmes to local communities. Communities around Thusong Service Centres identify services to be offered by the centre based on their needs. Each Thusong Service Centre is different and can either be located in a single building, or be part of a cluster of buildings.

Thusong Service Centres have access to technology through Information Technology Centres (ITCs) or Tele-centres and Public Information Terminals (PITs). This helps communities to use technology to better their lives.

Eventually each district and metropolitan municipality will have at least one Thusong Service Centre.

Thusong Service Centre website

Thusong Service Centres help people who could not reach government in the past to get information and services. The services of non-government and community-based organisations (CBOs) can be found in Thusong Service Centres.

In the past, getting information and services from government was difficult because of the frustration of being sent from place to place and from office to office without getting any help. This led to despondency and a lack of faith in the ability of government to provide services effectively. It is worse in rural areas where distances are vast and travelling to urban centres to get services and information is expensive. It is for this reason that Thusong Service Centres have been identified as the main way of implementing development communication and information as they can offer various services that communities can use to better their lives.

Government departments offer information and services at Thusong Service Centres. However, these differ from centre to centre according to community needs. The types of services you can find include:

• Government services such as applications for identity documents, pensions, welfare grants, unemployment insurance, passports, death and birth certificates and information on issues such as health, government structures and organisations, labour issues, citizen rights, education, contact information etc.
• Training on, and the use of computers, the Internet and e-mail.
• Other services and information such as community banking, craft shops, women's clubs, food production programmes etc.
• Two-way communication between government and citizens. The community can share their views on government programmes, policies and activities and make their needs known.
• Community events such as music concerts, meetings, voting, workshops etc.

Development communication is about providing communities with information they can use to change their lives for the better. This is according to Batho Pele principles which put people first, and uses the communication methods that are practised in communities.

The main focus of development communication and information is on the poor and disadvantaged who had little or no access to information. They are found mainly in townships and rural areas.

Development communication focuses mainly on face-to-face interaction between government and people.

This approach addresses topics such as:

• rights and duties of citizens
• policies and programmes of government
• development opportunities and how to access them
• information about government campaigns.

Development communication methods include:

• government material written in simple language
• government material written in local languages
• suitable methods for those who cannot read or write such as drama
• community radio
• community participation using local networks.

Thusong Service Centres are run by a centre manager assisted by support staff looking after maintenance, reception, security and the grounds. Staff are employed by either the provincial or local government, at district or town level. There are also different management models in different areas including centres managed by communities themselves.

The responsibilities of the centre manager are:

• Developing Memoranda of Understanding between service-providers and the Thusong Service Centre
• Drawing up contracts with service-providers
• Facilitating renovations at the centre
• Ensurings that the centre has proper services such as water, electricity and telephones
• Helping service-providers acquire space in the centre
• Facilitating community research to understand community needs
• Monitoring, evaluating and reporting about service provision at the Thusong Service Centre
• Receiving reports about successes and challenges faced by service-providers
• Facilitating monthly meetings of service-providers and community stakeholders at the Thusong Service Centre
• Supervising the Thusong Service Centre's support staff
• Monitoring security measures at the centre.

The Thusong Service Centre is managed by a committee of service-providers and community leaders and members. The committee ensures the co-ordination of the activities of service-providers. Its role includes:

• Updating the profile of the community around the centre
• Upgrading service and information needs
• Facilitating the entry of new service-providers to the centre
• Monitoring operations from the reports of the centre Manager and service-providers
• Evaluating service provision according to Batho Pele principles
• Assisting the centre manager with administrative functions such as budgeting, monitoring, staff evaluation, fund-raising and human resource management
• Motivating for special events at the Thusong Service Centre, such as Imbizos, youth programmes, training, workshops etc.
• Lobbying for the extension of the centre to provide more services according to needs.

Proper management is central to the sustainability of Thusong Service Centres. It is therefore vital to have funds and a proper system of financial management in place.

Sustainability is enhanced through creative efforts aimed at fund-raising and self-sustaining activities at Thusong Service Centres, including sponsorship from donor agencies and the private sector. Currently, government departments use their budgets to provide services at Thusong Service Centres. The Department of Public Works through its Community-based Public Works Programme plays a role in the building of new facilities where they do not exist and the refurbishment or renovation of existing premises. Other funding and development agencies play a similar role. Launches of Thusong Service Centres are funded by a partnership between government, communities, local businesses and traditional leaders.

The roll-out of Thusong Service Centres is gaining momentum and soon every district or metropolitan municipality countrywide will have its own. Important lessons from Thusong Service Centres launched since December 1999 are:

• Communities are in need of government services and are using Thusong Service Centres in growing numbers.
• Communities must choose the services offered at Thusong Service Centres according to their priorities.
• Technology in rural areas is costly to maintain and creative mechanisms need to be in place to provide communities with computers and the Internet.
• National, provincial and local government have worked well together to make Thusong Service Centres a success.
• Traditional leaders have played an important role in establishing Thusong Service Centres.
• Community participation in the setting up of Thusong Service Centres has ensured that no Thusong Service Centre to date has been burgled or vandalised.
• Thusong Service Centres run a development communication programme, which builds community participation.
• Thusong Service Centres have strong management structures and this contributes to their success.

The MDDA or Media Development and Diversity Agency was established by the MDDA Act 2002 (No. 14 of 2002). The main aim of the MDDA is to provide greater access to the media world for historically disadvantaged communities and people, as well as historically diminished indigenous language and cultural groups. This access includes areas of ownership and control of media entities, especially at community level, as well as human resource development and capacity-building of historically disadvantaged people within the various media industries.

Media Development and Diversity Agency
1st Floor: Ristone Office Park (South)
15 Sherbone Road, Parktown, Johannesburg
PO Box 42846, Fordsburg, 2033
Tel : (011) 726 3336
Fax: (011) 726 5087
E-mail: info@mdda.org.za