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Media
statement: Birth
of a new government communications order
18 May 1998
Today will be
recorded in history as the day on which the former South African
Communication Service (SACS) - the information machine of the former
apartheid government - was buried. In its wake, a new Government
Communication and Information System (GCIS) will be born when Dr.
Essop Pahad, Deputy Minister in the Office of the Deputy President,
rises in Parliament for the Communications Budget Vote.
Unlike SACS,
the GCIS draws its primary mandate from Section 16 of the Bill of
Rights, which guarantees all citizens freedom of speech. The new
organisation will attempt to ensure that dialogue between the South
African government and its citizens is enhanced. it is recognised
in the Reconstruction and Development Programme that an informed
public is better able to take an active part in changing its life
for the better.
The launch of
the GCIS brings to fruition the recommendations of the Task Group
on Government Communications (Comtask), chaired by Mandla Langa
and commissioned by Deputy President Thabo Mbeki. Comtask consulted
widely, having received 150 written submissions from South Africans,
and visiting 19 countries. The thrust of its recommendations were
approved by Cabinet in September last year.
The GCIS will
focus its work on six broad priorities:
- Establishing
a coherent government communication system
- Building
a development information network to service grassroots needs
- Developing
an information strategy for Multi-purpose Communication Centres
- Building
relations with the media as communication partners
- Encouraging
media diversity, and
- Improving
the competencies of government communicators.
The launch of
the GCIS will be celebrated country-wide at the following venues.
Contact people have been identified for your convenience:
- Parliament:
Budget Vote - 14:00 (televised live) Reception - 18h00 for 18h30
- Johannesburg:
Ground Fl, 66 Small St, 12:30. Busi Mdaka, (011) 33 73141-6
- Cape Town:
9th Floor, BP Centre, 16:00. Petra van Niekerk, (021) 21 5071-6
- Bloemfontein:
Omni-Centre, 1st Fl, 73 Aliwal St, 17:30. M Zondo, (051) 448 4504-6
- Eastern
Cape: State House, Marine Rd, Bisho, 17:00. P van Wyk, (041) 55
9141
- Kimberley:
Horse Shoe Motel Conference Centre, 18:00. M Nagel, (0531) 82
1378/9
- Pietersburg:
The Mall, c/o Vorster & Bucard St, 19:00. Alex Mutshekwane,
(015) 291 4689
- Mmabatho:
Mmabatho Sun, Clubroom, 12:30. Fana Baganeneng, (0140) 81 5297-9
- Nelspruit:
Best Western Premier Lodge, c/o N4 & Granite St, 12:30. J
Nkosi, (013) 753 2397
- Durban:
Auditorium, 8th Fl, Sagelife House, 21 Field St, 16:00. Deven
Moodley, (031) 301 6787-9.
For further
information, please contact: Portia Maurice-Mopp at 082 575 4132
or (012) 314 2108.
Issued by
GCIS
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