House Chairperson,
The ACDP posits that today, we are not merely debating a budget, but affirming the constitutional imperative of transparent, inclusive, and accountable communication between the government and the people it serves.
The Government Communication and Information System has a critical mandate: to ensure that every South African, regardless of geography or circumstance, has access to timely, accurate, and empowering information. In an era marked by disinformation, misinformation, digital disruption, and growing public skepticism, this mandate has never been more urgent.
The ACDP recognises that GCIS was allocated R798.2 million for the 2025/26 financial year. This includes funding for media engagement, communication campaigns, and the digital migration of platforms like Vuk’uzenzele. Concerns remain about whether this budget adequately supports inclusive, multilingual outreach and if it counters rising misinformation.
We welcome the adoption of the National Communication Strategy Framework (NCSF), approved by Cabinet in February 2025. This framework is a step forward, in professionalising communication across all spheres of government. However, frameworks alone are not enough and will require close monitoring by all MP’s and stakeholders.
We further note the constructive engagement between GCIS and the South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) in April this year – a long-overdue dialogue that acknowledged past shortcomings, including the exclusion of journalists during key events. We commend the commitment to more inclusive, transparent, and regular media engagement. This must become the norm, not the exception.
The ACDP remains concerned about the slow pace of digital transformation. While the shift to digital-only editions of Vuk’uzenzele is fiscally prudent, it risks excluding those without reliable internet access. The ACDP urges GCIS to accelerate its investment in community media and multilingual platforms, extending accurate information to those too often overlooked.
In an era where misinformation spreads faster than facts, GCIS must not merely react – it should lead. We must fund a communications system that is not only efficient, but one that is ethical, inclusive, and resilient.
For the ACDP, as Kingdom builders in society where 80% of South Africans profess to be Christian, truth is not a privilege, it is a public expectation.
