Cape town: Deputy Minister in the Presidency responsible for Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) Kenny Morolong has emphasized that citizen engagement remains central to the work of The Presidency through both mediated and unmediated platforms. "The GCIS and its entities, Brand SA and Media Development and Diversity Agency, are therefore fully poised to support this engagement programme," Morolong stated.

According to South African Government News Agency, Morolong spoke during The Presidency Budget Vote in Cape Town, highlighting that the GCIS is mandated to communicate the broad programme of government and empower citizens by disseminating crucial information. In alignment with this mandate, the Cabinet has approved the National Communications Strategic Framework, which will be driven by the GCIS across the entire system of government.

The National Communication Strategic Framework (NCSF) is designed to create a more coherent, citizen-centred, and development-oriented government communication system. "The NCSF positions communication not as an afterthought to delivery, but as a strategic instrument for building trust, taking South Africans into confidence, and ensuring that a coherent message is communicated across all spheres of government," Morolong explained.

Morolong further elaborated that, as a department reporting to The Presidency, their work is supported by the Ministry. "In this regard, we have started a series of consultations with the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) and various provincial governments to socialize this national policy and align it for provincial implementation. We have already engaged with the North West province, with the Free State scheduled for next week, and plans to engage Mpumalanga and others continuing apace," he added.

Brand South Africa plays a crucial role in ensuring that South African products are purchased abroad, investors invest in South Africa, tourists visit the country, and foreign students choose South African universities. "Brand SA is a custodian of our nation brand, mandated to promote our national reputation globally and domestically. Brand SA will only achieve this important task through nation brand alignment with all stakeholders both in the public and private sectors, so that we all understand that our actions can either be brand enablers or disablers," Morolong said.

The Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA) is tasked with ensuring diversified ownership of media platforms and the consumption of media products curated by community and grassroots media platforms in local languages. "The MDDA's grant and seed funding programme supports the sustainability, growth, and development of community media through both capital and operational investments," Morolong concluded.