Honourable House Chairperson,
As we consider this budget vote from GCIS, the ACDP is aware of the R802 million (R802 785 000) available for the 2024/5 financial year to be distributed over three programmes. This Department must navigate the cacophony of ideas, worldviews, and attempts at social engineering, with the mandate to communicate with the South Africa populace in a manner in-keeping with our Constitution.
The ACDP notes the Department’s mandate to ensure transparency in government and that relevant government structures should provide information that is commensurate with the democratic principles of our country and Constitution.
The ACDP trusts that the GCIS communications research endeavour, which resulted in the development of a Government Segmentation Model (GSM) for those aged 18 years and older, bears fruit. It is hoped that this targeted communications approach on government programmes and services results in the realisation of Section 195(g) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, which forms the basis of the formation of the GCIS, where it stipulates that in order to foster transparency the public should be provided with information that is timely, accurate and importantly, accessible.
The ACDP wishes to highlight that the Department is responsible for providing strategic leadership and coordinating a government communication system which keeps the public informed.
With that in mind, the ACDP is concerned about the silence on developments regarding the WHO’s International Health Regulation Amendments and Pandemic Treaty which, if passed and at the threat of pandemic risk, will give the WHO — an unelected international body— unfettered power to impose lockdowns on sovereign nations, and sanctions on nations that do not comply. Nations that have signed or agreed to the IHR Amendments and Pandemic Treaty risk losing their sovereignty if WHO just suspects that there is a pandemic risk.
The ACDP calls on the Department to uphold its mandate to enlighten and inform the public on South Africa’s role and position on “Provisional agenda item 16.2.”
The ACDP submits that GCIS must uphold its mandate to ensure transparency in government by keeping the public informed on the dangers of the IHR amendments and Pandemic Treaty.
I thank you.
