Communication

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Authors

Della Togna, M.
Garman, A.
Adjin-Tettey, T.D.
Diale, M.
Hyera, F.
Bukula, T.
Halse, P.
Petersen, F.
Bombi, T.
Kleyn, Leti

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

DPME (Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation), GTAC (Government Technical Advisory Centre) & NRF (National Research Foundation)

Abstract

This chapter discusses research on the capacity and effectiveness of government’s communications strategy as South Africa went through the various stages of lockdown during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. It probes the working relationship between communications from all spheres of government and community, private, digital, and social media, as well as organised civil society before and during the lockdown and assesses its impact and efficacy. Recognising the multilingual nature of South African society, the urban–rural digital divide, and the prohibitive costs of data, the chapter identifies lessons and reaffirms the relevance of the development communications approach to government– citizen communications. It motivates for the prioritisation of accessible, multilingual digital communications with a citizen feedback loop that is transparent and responsive to ensure people are informed and empowered, as envisioned in the Constitution. Such responsiveness needs an enabling environment from government and from the public, private, and community media landscape. Collaboration and cooperation across these sectors with government communications and with the nongovernmental health and communications sectors is critical in such an all-encompassing crisis. The chapter highlights the need to continue to understand South Africa’s highly diverse communication space, in which digital new media platforms exist alongside loudhailers, and make accommodations in legislation, policy, and government coordination with social partners to reach all people across the digital, class, and language divides.

Description

This chapter 4 is published in the first edition of South Africa Covid-19 country report in June 2021.

Keywords

Government’s communications strategy, Covid-19 pandemic, South African society, Urban–rural digital divide, Prohibitive costs of data, Government– citizen communications

Sustainable Development Goals

Citation

Della Togna, M., Garman, A., Adjin-Tettey, T. D., Diale, M., Hyera, F., Bukula, T., Halse, P., Petersen, F., Bombi, T. & Kleyn, L., 2021. Chapter 4. Communication. South Africa Covid-19 Country Report [First edition]. DPME (Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation), GTAC (Government Technical Advisory Centre) & NRF (National Research Foundation), Pretoria: June.