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Deputy
Minister Essop Pahad
Closing remarks: GCIS
budget debate, National Assembly
8 March 1999
It is quite clear to us that over the
past few days, some Opposition Parties have found a new hobby: this
time to wage a campaign of utter vitriol against the Government
Communication and Information System. The campaign borders on censorship:
an attempt to dictate to government what it can and cannot say to
the public. Perhaps this is understandable, because some of us have
not as yet matured into the new democracy with free speech. And
when they discover that their arguments cannot stand up to scrutiny,
they then target individuals in the person of the CEO of GCIS.
Let me explain very clearly - and I
hope those who are making fools of themselves on this issue are
listening: This project is based on President Mandela's last state
of the Nation Address to Parliament, as well as presentations by
Ministers at the subsequent GCIS Parliamentary Briefing Week. During
those briefings Ministers, which include leaders of the Inkatha
Freedom Party, focused on the key indicators of performance in their
portfolios. All information selected was based squarely on these
presentations. If the Democratic Party, National Party, and those
who have blindly joined them in this campaign, were members of the
Government of National Unity, the reports of their Ministers would
have been equally covered.
The key objective of this project is
to communicate to as wide an audience as possible, government's
work in the past four-and-half years to transform South African
society. Government has a responsibility to keep citizens informed
about its activities, and no one is going to tell us how to do this.
The right to this information is guaranteed in the Constitution.
GCIS is merely and quite professionally carrying out its mandate.
The project encompassed three elements
- the newspaper inserts in about 44 national and regional newspapers,
15-minute radio sports packaged to 45 community and mainstream radio
stations, and 5-million A5 leaflets containing a summarised version
of President Mandela's last address to Parliament for mass distribution
and translated into all official languages. These communication
methods were selected to accommodate different literacy levels and
language choices; and they are a marked improvement on efforts in
the pre-GCIS period. The total projected cost of the project is
R4,3-million; and it forms part of the budget of GCIS in carrying
out its mandate.
This project has nothing to do with
the on-coming elections and party political campaigns. There is
no other time for the President to present his State of the Nation
Address - nor for Ministers to elaborate on this - except in February
when Parliament opens. And this is not the first time that government
reports its progress to the nation. As such, sinister allegations
of electioneering are quite out of kilter with reality. It has been
a long-standing tradition for an information service, in all democracies,
to publish copies of the annual speech made by the country's leader,
or material based on it. During 1997, the South African Communication
Service (SACS) published government's Mid-term Report. In 1998,
5-million copies of an updated Report to the Nation, including ministerial
progress reports, were published.
Government welcomes comments from the
Opposition, and indeed from citizens, about the content of these
publications and programmes. This is part of national discourse
in a democracy. If the Opposition feel that GCIS is not reflecting
the truth, let them try to convince the public of this, and let
them raise the concrete instances with Government. But they should
not expect Government to communicate its perspectives from the point
of view of parties opposed to Government. If they are not used to
information that does not contain their negative campaign against
this country's efforts, that is their problem. But GCIS is now finding
its feet after its launch last May, and it will continue to communicate
directly with the people - without mediation by the Opposition or
their friends.
Let me state very clearly that the
Deputy President has no intention at all of asking Mr Joel Netshitenzhe
to resign. The CEO of GCIS was employed through proper procedures
to do work; and he is obliged and committed to do it. Both the procedures
of his appointment, and the manner in which he is fulfilling his
responsibilities, accord with the Public Service Act and relevant
regulations.
In so far as the coming formal election
period is concerned, where IBA and IEC regulations will apply, that
is a matter on which the GCIS awaits guidance. And when such a time
comes, GCIS will observe any such regulations to the letter. But
in so far as the current period is concerned, Government will not
allow itself to be censored by anyone. The material has been placed
before the nation - and let the people be the judge.
Deputy
Minister in the Office of the Presidency, Dr Essop Pahad
Issued by: Government Communications
(GCIS), 8 March 1999
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