Chairperson of the National Task Team Ms Nomsa Chabedi Mazibuko
Deputy Chairperson of the National Task Team Mr Hlengani Mathebula
Head of various institution associated with this Ministry
Members of the National Communications Task Team
Welcome to this inaugural consultation conference of the National Communications Task Team.
As you are aware the President established this new Ministry of Communications to ensure heightened coordination of the government’s approach to the very crucial task of communicating with our people. Above all else we have been given a task to oversee overall communications policy that will guide this work that is at the centre of empowering our communities.
Many people take the question of information dissemination for granted. In the era of internet very few pay attention to the digital divide that still exists in our country. The question of inequality is even more stark and made more severe by the disempowering situation where information is accessed by the few. Let us remember that Internet penetration in our broader society is no more than 5 to 10 percent - this needs to put into perspective the myth that Internet will solve all our problems.
It is important in this regard that we take note of the crucial role that the Public Broadcaster must play in our quest to revolutionaries the way in which we make information accessible to out people. To complement this we have the community radio sector that is booming with over 200 community radio stations having been launched over the last twenty years.
It is important that the question of media diversity be taken seriously. The establishment of the MDDA amongst other initiatives to deal with Transformation must now be reviewed for its effectiveness. How far have we come in transforming the media industry, how far have we come in changing ownership patterns? Have we simply swapped old owners for new ones. How have the development of our country into a new South African changed the face of our Media Industry? These are some of the challenges that you as a task team must grapple with and advice government about how to accelerate change where there has been no progress.
Government communications has also had a fair share of its challenges. There is a feeling that a lot more coordination has to take place. Ten years ago there was a review of how far we have come in implementing the COMTASK 2000 report. Are the recommendations of the COMTASK report still relevant today? While this meeting may not adequately answer these questions it must certainly take this into its long term agenda to objectively help us assess whether we have been abler to adequately live up to what we set ourselves to achieve since the formation of the GCIS.
How effective has GCIS been in helping us empower citizens. In what it does today what is relevant? Has it achieved its purpose to be a government communications system? The role of public sector communicators must also be interrogated. Some of you here play that role and have done so in the past - what in your view can make the work of public sector communicators effective? There is an important matter of capacity building for communicators and political principals - has this matter been paid attention to? What needs to be done for such a matter to be taken forward? We need your experiences about how the private sector handled the strategic nature of communications and how lessons in that sector can be applied.
The landscape of Information technology has its own vast challenges which I don't intend to deal with extensively. We will have a presentation this afternoon that will give us a sense of where we are on various policy questions on the ICT agenda. This will allow us to tap into your collective expertise about what needs to be done to move things that have remained stagnant. The Digital migration in particular is something we intend to inject a sense of urgency into - we will soon make pronouncements on the digital migration revised time table. A few of you here have international experience and exposure related to matter of broadcasting - we hope to get insights from your about what urgent actions needs to be taken to make progress.
The question of communications policy will also cover the legislative framework. The task of an integrated communications will be revived - you as a team must give that process shape so that we can have an integrated policy by the end of the year leading into a new realignment of all matters communications across government. Our industry has very opinionated people with vested interests. It is time that we look beyond those interests in making sure that our country can stand on the cutting edge of technology and not be left behind by the rest of the world. I cannot over emphasise the importance of ICTs in making us competitive in the global market place. Any further deterring on this matter will hurt our image as a cutting edge investment destination and our people will be left behind in the information highway stakes.
The issue of positioning South Africa is our common task in building up enough weapons to deal with the debilitating poverty and inequality. There is no running away from the fact that we are an economy that depends on how we are perceived by the international community. The task of keeping our brand positive in the eyes of the world is not merely the work of Brand South Africa. But it is the work of all of us in the country with differing but equally important roles. In a sense the combination of what all these entities must do will be a result of a new positioning of a country that is moving forward.
To this extent an agency like Brand South Africa is going to increasingly be at the centre of how we craft country messaging. The work they have already done will only double once we have decided how we align all the entities and departments reporting into this Ministry. I want to commend Brand South Africa for recognising this crucial role they ought to be playing by also making the meeting of this task team possible. Thank you for supporting us in the crawling stages of our establishment as a new Ministry I look forward to what you will share with us to set a tone for this meeting.
You have each been chosen because of the sterling work you do in your professions in the branding, communications, marketing or ICT space. You have gained experience in various ways in the industry over the last twenty or more years. Often we do not tap into the talent that our country has to offer for many inexplicable reasons. We have decided to make a departure from that approach by engaging you so that you can be honest with us about what we are getting right and what we are getting wrong in dealing with the question of information for the empowerment of our people. We don't have an illusion that this task is easy.
There are those who have already cast aspersions on it and describing it as a mere attempt at propaganda. We want to hear those criticisms. We did not gather you simply to affirm the direction we have chosen but to help us shape it to move South Africa forward. This is your time to be as critical as you please while providing solutions of how you move us forward. The heads of the various entities have been invited largely to listen so they can tap into the wealth of experience that is represented in this team.
The agenda before you is mammoth - you can help us shape the future of our people. The economic emancipation of our people is intricately linked to how we help them access information. So communicating with them properly, regularly and consistently is no longer a luxury that can be dismissed as propaganda but essential to us dealing with challenges our people face on a day to day basis. The resources at our disposal are enormous. Just look at parliament and imagine what can be achieved if each MP with a constituency office used it as a bridge of information to reach our people! Imagine if each MP actually bothered to communicate and know his or her constituency. Imagine if each MPL did the same and became truly present and active in opening themselves to real engagement with our people.
Imagine if each ward councillor in the most remote rural place and the most urban place reached out to our people regularly and shared with then the programmes of our government. We believe that this will result in the information revolution that is our guiding light in this term of office. But imagine if each Minister reached out to stakeholders who are directly and indirectly affected by the decisions of their portfolios. Imagine if they did this thoroughly and consistently not as a PR exercise, but as a process of engaging meaningfully. Imagine what empowerment will flow from that new mind shift change.
These are some of the questions that you as a team must address. I have deliberately not outlined the terms of reference to this task team and want those to emerge out of this first conference to answer these and other questions that you yourselves will bring to the fore.
What should the task team advice the minister on and by when?
When should it table its first report?
A smaller team from amongst you will be appointed and given a responsibility to finalise the details of a road map that should be given to the Minister by the end of this month.
I will then pronounce on the processes that should unfold especially when it comes to issues that relate to the structuring of the new department - a matter you are free to comment on and give us guidance.
May I congratulate Ms Nomsa Chabedi Mazibuko as Chairperson of this important Advisory body. Ms Mazibuko has cut her teeth in both government and pirate sector communications and has accorded herself well as a champion of the positioning of South Africa through her work in Brand South Africa, Cricket South Africa and the World Bid Committee. Deputising him will be Mr Hlengani Mathebula who is a respected business leader currently chair of the Black Business Executive Circle and Head of the Reserve Bank’s Strategy and Communications Division. He brings with him leadership that is required to build bridges amongst the various stakeholders that we are tasked with communicating with. I wish you well in your responsibility to give sound advice to the Ministry in Particular and government in general in the tasks ahead. All of you have skills that are needed to make this project a success and I call on you to cooperate with the leadership team when they call on you in between meetings to be part of adhoc committees of this task team.
I am here to listen to you - my remarks are not cast in stone policy but are meant to provoke a discussion that can help move us forward.
Thank you once again to each of you for accepting to serve in this Task Team.
Thank you Chairperson.
The List of Attendees to the Communications Task Team:
- Nomsa Chabeli (chairperson)
- Hlengani Mathebula Deputy Chairperson
- Onkgopotse JJ Tabane
- Jimmy Manyi
- Baby Tyawa
- Ray Nkwe
- Solly Mokoetle
- Vusi Mona
- Andrew Barendse
- Barba Gaoganediwe
- Tshidi Setai
- Victor Kgomoeswana
- Makhudu Sefara
- Lindelwa Nzimande
- John Dludlu
- Ronnie Mamoepa
- Sanele Nyoka
- Ayanda Hollow
- Khusela Sangoni
- Happy Ntshingila
- Thebe Ikalafeng
- Miller Matola
- Phumla Williams
- Harold Maloka
- Tshepo Sefothlelo
- Nkosazana Tengimfene
- Dr Glenda Daniels
- Koffi Kouakou
- Patricia Lawrence
- Mbulelo Musi
- Ken Modise
- Prof Tawana Kupe
- Thabo Mogane
- Kgosi Maepa
- Wendy Tlou
- Zweli Mthembu
- Andile Mbeki
- Humbelani Thanyani Nemakonde
- Sharoda Rapeti
- Lumko Mtimde
- Thabo Mongake
- Lunga Kepe
- William Mzimba
- Unathi Mtya
- Phetolo Ramosebudi
- Angelina Maseko
- Professor Sylvia Phendla
- Haludi Motsoeneng
- Andisa Ntsubane
- L. Mantsha
- Keitu Semakane
