31 August 2000

The International Marketing Council held its inaugural meeting yesterday (Wednesday, 30 August) in Pretoria. Whilst the meeting dealt mainly with ‘housekeeping’ matters a number of exciting medium and longer term proposals were tabled, firstly, for a sustained international marketing drive for South Africa and, secondly, to bring the whole country behind this ambitious project. Preparations are underway for a major launch early next year.

28 July 2000

The Office of the Presidency has noted reports in some media about the activities of its Communications Chief Directorate. Based on hearsay and unnamed sources, these reports suggest that the Head of the Section, Parks Mankahlana is to be demoted.

I wish to state categorically that such speculation is unfounded and mischievous.

11 July 2000

In response to an impression that has been created by various newspaper reports that the spokesperson of the President is restricted from dealing with certain matters relating to the views of the President, GCIS wishes to make clear that this is wholly inaccurate.

13 June 2000

On the occasion of the anniversary of the inauguration of South Africa’s second democratically elected government and the Parliamentary Debate on The Presidency, the following information has been gathered from Departments and is being issued for reference purposes.

Enquiries
JK Netshitenzhe
082 900 0083

Issued by: Government Communications (GCIS)

8 June 2000

Members of Parliament will soon have access to finger-tip government information when the Information and Resource Centre (IRC) of the Government Communications and Information System re-opens tomorrow (Friday). The centre will be re-opened by the Minister in the Presidency, Doctor Essop Pahad.

24 March 2000

Government will be opening a total of 20 Multi-Purpose Community Centres across the country in the next year. And the next three years will see a total of 55 MPCC's launched country wide, mostly in rural districts, to ensure that government's services reaches the poorest of the poor.

Today marked the successful launch of the third MPCC in Zwelithemba at Worcester in the Western Cape.

14 February 2000

Noting that some journalists are still being misled by a false e-mail, despite reports in the City Press and the Star explaining its origins, GCIS would like to clarify the matter.

26 January 2000

The Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) will be holding media briefings for Ministers from 7 to 11 February 2000 at the Tuynhuis Goodhope Auditorium, Cape Town. While GCIS, as it did in June 1999, takes responsibility only for briefings by the executive arm of government, other organs of government and political parties represented in Parliament are welcome to use the opportunity, where there are vacant slots, to brief the media.

2 December 1999

History will be made in Tombo, near Port St Johns in the Eastern Cape, when the first one-stop government service centre is launched on Thursday, 9 December 1999.

The intersectoral initiative, supported by President Thabo Mbeki, will bring integrated services of the government to the Kei District where communities need them most.

15 September 1999

In November last year, Cabinet announced its preferred suppliers for the procurement of defence equipment for the SANDF.