Briefing
to Portfolio Committee on Communications
24 February 1999
GCIS budget vote
Statement of the issue
From the SWOT analysis which GCIS conducted
it emerged that a key challenge was to improve the efficiencies
and effectiveness of the GCIS.
The following strengths were noted:
- That the organisation had a reasonably
sound infrastructure which was offering cost-effective and high
quality services. It was found to be reasonably in touch with
the private sector, even with partnerships at provincial and local
level with private sector and community role players. It is found
to be highly credible, has an innovative management at the top,
and the knowledge base of the organisation had been enhanced by
the new personnel being brought in.
- While most of its work was geared
at delivering a service to government depts it had sections which
dealt with the public providing the public direct access to government
centre. These include the recently launch govt web site and an
information service. It has also been found to deliver in crisis
moments.
- The GCIS would prefer to dwell more
on the challenges it faces. At the broad organisational level
the key ones are:
1. Rendering a professional service
Problems
With the lack of adequate human resources
and outdated equipment, many sections of the organisation felt hugely
under pressure. Depts were coming with requests without clear strategies,
short deadlines or taking too long to approve the work done for
them. Often the communication professional were not being properly
briefed leading to more frustration.
Approach
A Standing Request Committee is being
established. All Depts have been informed of this. The procedure
will be that depts will be required to submit requests which have
been mandated and with the approval process clearly marked out.
The level of our service is set to improve with the investment the
GCIS has made in upgrading technology.
The GCIS will be seeking alliances
with other production units within government such as those located
in the SANDF, SAPS and Dept of Agriculture. Also, the fact that
many of our employees are conversant with suppliers in the private
sector, we will be able to advise depts on how such jobs can be
outsource. This becomes a viable option only when depts are better
organised.
Furthermore, GCIS intends embarking
on a systematic dept by dept process whereby GCIS will share the
approaches it is developing at government wide level so that depts
can be stimulated into developing cogent communication strategies.
2. Ensuring professional media liaison
Problems
This section is still suffering from
acute personnel shortage. Apart from facilitating the required media
liaison of different campaigns, arranging the Parliamentary Briefing
Week at the beginning of each session, and the recently started
Press Breakfasts, it has also been assisting the offices of the
President and Deputy President as well as the Foreign Affairs Dept
in state visits. Because many of their requests coming in with short
lead times, it tends to disorganise and overwork the few people
at hand. This carries the threat of declining relations with the
media.
Approach
With interest in South Africa still
high we will continue facing this challenge. The short-term approach
adopted by the GCIS Media Liaison is to work themselves to the ground.
The long term solution is the staffing of the section with appropriate
people. A big step forward has been the appointment of a person
to staff the GCIS Parliamentary office - this helps carry out many
of the function required here.
An even further step will be the establishment
of what is being referred to as the communication calendar. This
is obviously only possible with greater planning by depts, Ministries
etc. The idea will be to include all major communication events
on a calendar so that journalists and communicators can better plan
their lives.
We will continuously seek to brief
the media proactively as part of cementing our relations.
3. Other issues
The following areas continue to impact
on GCIS operations and will be receiving high attention:
- Developing solid distribution networks.
The alliance with the Post office is a good, though costly, start.
- Having a marketing strategy in place
which promotes the products and services of the GCIS. This becomes
more and more possible with the full range of GCIS work becoming
available.
- A government wide Corporate Identity
project was identified as an important project. With the further
strengthening of the CI unit in 1999/2000 we can begin taking
steps towards that.
- Improving our photographic services.
This becomes especially important for key state functions, state
visits etc.
- The creation of a comprehensive
data base. This is an internal matter which will be getting our
attention. As you may appreciate no communication organisation
can work without a solid data base. The one we have currently
is inadequate.
Conclusion
All we can hope is that as GCIS becomes
more and more successful it will not be seen as simply spin doctoring
or even worse a propaganda machinery. We hope that it shall be an
effective conduit for dialogue between government and the people.
Problem
At the briefing last year, we had identified
development information as one of the priorities of the organisation
- this continues to be so. We do have very limited number of staff
in the GICS and we need to ensure that there is a uniform approach
taken in communicating in the different areas. We are also trying
to find a balance between the requirements of national departments
and provincial realities and imperatives.
We are looking at making the GIC offices
more accessible to the public. We will be addressing the issue of
language and methods which are suitable to the majority of South
Africans, not the current literate, urban bias that we admit having.
Social instability will make government
communications difficult in some areas. Perception of slow delivery
and lack of communication of government's successes or problems
in delivering need to be dealt with. Size of the regions makes it
difficult to service all areas with the limited capacity available.
Low literacy levels and diverse language requirements as well as
the high expectations of the public are key challenges. Elections
and possible negative attitudes towards government communications
will be something we will have to weather. For this period and beyond,
we have set our aim and operational objectives.
Objectives and approaches
Objective 1
To facilitate the establishment, co-ordination
and maintenance of national, provincial and local partnerships and
relationships between the different tiers of government.
Approach
- Our major challenge is to arrive
at a common approach to development communication with the various
components of the government communication systems. Currently
it has become a catch-all phrase. GCIS will collaborate with NGOs,
CBOs, and development agencies in arriving at participatory approaches
while trying to ensure that these organs of civil society become
partners in development communication.
Objective 2
To facilitate the establishment, utilisation and maintenance development communication and information methods.
Approach:
- We have to identify and develop
alternative methods of communication. We cannot rely on the commercial
media alone to carry the message of government to the people.
We need methods that involve a two way communication between communicators
and communities. We will look at how the GCIS Bua News Service
can be improved so that community media can use it for their needs.
The radio unit which we are currently putting in place will allow
us to provide government with sound bites to community radio.
Community media faces the problem of closing down if the issue
of funding is not urgently addressed.
- We will explore other participatory,
community based methods of communication such as interactive drama,
road shows, we will explore how the MPPCs and telecenters can
be used for maximum community communication needs. The Deputy
Minister and the CEO were impressed by experiences of India in
development of alternative methods of communication. We hope to
obtain services of their trainers in areas of development communications.
Objective 3
To compile and deliver development-centered
information programs and campaigns.
Approach
- Our challenge will be to intergrate
the development approach (which emphasises developing the capacity
of individuals and communities to improve their lives) and the
human rights approach (which emphasises information on how to
access rights. We will strive to move away from simply providing
information to actually changing habits, attitudes and outlooks.
We will therefore draw up programs and campaigns to provide information
in a manner in which people can use. Programs and campaigns will
be in languages with which people feel comfortably free to particpate.
Our programmes and campaigns will take into consideration communities
at different levels of development, literacy, language, and be
based on access to different mediums of communication.
Organisational development: Provincial
and local liaison
- The finalisation of formal relations
with provincial communications structures will form a major part
of systems changes.
- Our pessonnel need to be realigned
to fulfil the needs of development communication. Our personnel
will have to reflect the profile of the communities they serve
in terms of language and culture.
- Appropriate training for development
communication will therefore be necessary. New skills in development
communication, marketing, change management, community facilitation,
participatory methods will be introduced to personnel.
- Communication personnel will be
linked with other parts of government in order to provide the
public with wider scope of information. Communication personnel
will be deployed at strategic points to serve communities particularly
in rural areas.
- Our challenges will be to assess
all GIC's accessibility and visibility to the public particularly
to rural areas who have limited access to electronic media and
limited access to print media due to illiteracy and language.
- Our long-term vision would be to
see GICS becoming the hub of community based information resource
centres providing access to government information in partnership
with provincial and civil society structures. Our long-term vision
is to see information communicated in a manner and language in
which people can use for their own development.
Statement of the issue
GCIS is advantaged in that most of
the staff are experienced, well-trained, multi-skilled and extremely
dedicated, hard-working and willing to learn.
The certainty around the future of
the department has boosted and motivated most staff after a period
of great uncertainty and demotivation.
There are however some challenges facing
GCIS on this front, namely the
1. Large number of vacant posts in GCIS
Problem
GCIS is still in the process of advertising
and filling posts in the various chief directorates. The high vacancy
rate has led to extreme work pressure and overload on the few, with
the danger of burnout. It has also meant that GCIS has at times
had to turn down requests from client departments.
Approach
A new organisational structure for
GCIS has been approved with a staff complement of 353, down from
the old SACS structure of about 700. We are currently advertising
and filling posts. We are confident that we are attracting highly
skilled professionals, who will make a great contribution to government
communication.
2. Attracting and retaining highly skilled competent staff
Problem
During our current process of recruitment,
we are finding that whilst we are succeeding in attracting high
calibre personnel, we are unable to offer successful applicants
market related salaries, similar to what they are earning in the
private sector. This is particularly true for middle management
posts. Communication is a specialised field, and it is difficult
to retain professionals for more than a few years, especially in
the area of Information Technology such as web development and programmers.
Approach
In these instances, we are consulting
the Department of Public Service & Administration, for guidance
and advice in making the necessary buy-offers to attract suitable
staff. Once the new Public Service Regulations are implemented,
Departments will be in a position to decide on the level of remuneration,
in particular where scarce skills are required. The new Public Service
Regulations provide this kind of flexibility specifically because
it is recognised that government has to compete with the private
sector for scarce skills.
3. Training
Problem
Whilst we have some competent well-trained
staff, training is an ongoing requirement in any organisation. Professionals
and specialists, in particular, need to keep apace of developments
in their specific fields. It is generally accepted that 10% of the
time of any employee should be spent in training each year.
Approach
The Directorate for Human Resources
Training & Transformation will conduct a training needs analysis
to determine the training needs for GCIS staff, and to ensure appropriate
training for all members of staff, and to promote a career path,
especially for staff at the lower levels.
In addition, as referred to earlier,
a Chief Director has been appointed on contract to establish a national
Training Board that will address the training needs of all communication
staff in government.
4. Other issues
Other issues that require mentioning are:
- A Transformation Committee has been
established which provides management with the opportunity to
discuss policy issues on transformation and monitor implementation
within GCIS
- Trainers within GCIS who are undertaking
training in our nine regional Government Information Centres,
are utilised to conduct training for other provincial departments
as well, resulting in a saving for government.
- One of our major projects for implementation
is the new Public Service Regulations, which provide greater responsibility
and management discretion to line departments.
A. Facilities and IT equipment
Statement of the issue
From the SWOT analysis it emerged that
one of the key challenges GCIS had to address to improve its functionality
and performance was the information technology and equipment at
its disposal.
Strengths
Good quality equipment does exist in
pockets of the building. For example, the Communication Centre has
a sophisticated computerised radio system which facilitates the
recording and retrieval of broadcasts. However, this is the exception
rather than the rule. Another significant point is that the Y2K
programme at GCIS is on track.
In general, the key challenges facing
us in the realm of production and information technology include:
1. Office space and location
Problems
Office space at the GCIS Head Office
in Midtown Building, Pretoria, is limited and does not currently
facilitate functionality. In previous years, the administrative
section was located in a different building. The entire establishment
is now in Midtown and this, together with the recruitment of new
staff, a new orientation, structures and service lines - requires
readjustment. In addition, the building in its current form does
not project a positive, user-friendly image for government communication.
Approach
It is recommended that GCIS remain
in it current building, pending negotiations between the Department
of Public Works and the landlord on refurbishment to suit the organisation's
needs. In addition, GCIS will begin to move towards an open plan
office arrangement and improve the corporate identity of the building.
2. Improving production and information technology
Problems
It appeared that, in many instances,
information technology and production equipment had not been upgraded
since the early 1990s, because of the uncertain future of the then
South African Communication Services. This has meant that, in many
areas of work, staff were operating at sub-optimal level. Besides
general administrative lag as a result, certain areas of work were
especially adversely affected. These include internal communication,
provincial work, media monitoring, art and design, website maintenance
and access, as well as the radio and video units. Although in the
latter cases very basic equipment does exist, this has become obsolete.
A proper radio studio is required, with a recording booth and duplicating
facilities.
There is a general shortage of vital
equipment for a communication organisation, such as printers, fax
machines, television VCRs and cell phones - all of which impact
on the ability of staff to be effective.
For a good deal of the last year, the
information technology system has been virus-infected - although
with the recruitment of new staff this situation has improved. However,
much still needs to be done to improve information technology capacity.
Current IT restraints lead to slower output and updating of information.
In addition, financial management and audit control could be greatly
improved with the acquisition of appropriate software. If the access
speed to the government web site does not improve, the legitimacy
of the site will be threatened. Government Information Centres at
present do not have access to the Internet.
Approach
A comprehensive review of production
capacity in the organisation was conducted, revealing that urgent
attention needs to be paid to the maintenance, upgrading and acquisition
of production equipment and related software to ensure that:
- a cost-efficient service will continue to be rendered to clients
- equipment will be kept in good working order, and
- compatibility with private sector service-providers will be maintained.
In terms of Information Technology,
a total of R2,5-m was allocated to improving the situation. This
included a new file server and routers, LAN cabling and Telkom wiring
for Midtown and all functioning regional offices, the Y2K upgrade,
and purchase of a Microsoft Licensing Agreement. In addition, a
video conference facility for government press conferences and internal
accommodation has been put out to tender, and existing audio links
with regional offices will be improved.
The establishment of SITA will also
serve as a source of knowledge and offer opportunities for absorption.
B. Marketing and services
Statement of the issue
From the SWOT analysis it emerged that
a key challenge was to improve the service capacity and public profile
of the GCIS.
With the establishment of GCIS, a great
deal of attention was paid to reorienting the services of the old
South African Communication Services in line with the vision and
mission of the new organisation, and the recommendations of the
Comtask Report. In the initial period, priority was accorded to
servicing the primary clients of GCIS, i.e. national government
Ministries and Departments. As the organisation's capacity grows,
so do our services and the need to market them. This is an area
which will require priority attention during 1999.
Strengths
GCIS offers a wide range of quality
services and products which support government's obligation to communicate
and provide information. New products are always on the horizon
and existing services are being improved.
In relation to services and marketing,
the key challenges are:
1. Improvement of services
Problems
GCIS' service lines and products are
directed by the needs of its clients, on one hand, and by the organisation's
broad mandate to improve government communication and provide a
one-stop information service. As stated elsewhere, technical shortcomings
currently hinder quality service in many areas. In addition, staff
in many instances need to be trained towards multi-dimensional communication
project management, as it is our objective to be able to offer clients
a comprehensive service. Those sections of the organisation which
deal with public information also need to become far more visible
and accessible, and an information hotline is being considered as
a future project.
Approach
Areas of service which will improve in the forthcoming year include:
- Constant maintenance of the government website
- A strategy for development communication
- Improved provincial distribution infrastructure
- Greater usage of exhibitions
- Improved news service, especially to community media
- Utilisation of technology to create more opportunities in media
- Improved service at Parliamentary Office, such as the Information Resource Centre
2. Proactive marketing strategy for GCIS
Problems
Government clients are generally quite
familiar with GCIS, but the public at large is not very aware of
its existence. Hence, ordinary citizens do not really know that
there is an organisation they can approach for any information which
they need about government. This shortcoming, and the intended solution,
have important implications for the image not only for GCIS, but
for that of government and its obligation to provide citizens with
information, and the right to be heard.
Approach
A marketing strategy has been devised,
to create awareness of the GCIS' image, product lines and services.
The customers/clients identified in the marketing strategy broadly
include: government, civil society, national and international media,
foreign missions and local embassies, individual citizens and, of
course, GCIS staff members. The challenge would be to transform
GCIS into a market- and client-oriented organisation which "sells"
itself through satisfying customer needs and constantly monitors
client satisfaction. The marketing strategy would include stakeholder
briefings, marketing material and corporate/information products.
Products would include proper signage, a personnel guide, user brochures
and information on the government website.
Related link: Address
by Dep Min Pahad on the budget vote of the GCIS, 8 March 1999
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