The Collins Chabane Local Municipality hosted the Communication Forum on Friday, 9 June at the Municipal Chamber. The Forum was constituted by communicators from all local sectors, provincial departments and, municipalities, parastatals and discussed the issues related to communications as well as to provide a platform for municipal communications to better communicate progress in local government performance and facilitate inter-municipal peer learning in Limpopo.
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Collins Chabane Local Municipality Mayor, Shadrack Maluleke urged the communicators to reclaim their space. Become strategic in executing their responsibilities as government communicators.
“As a Professional communicator, you are in a strategic, powerful, and enviable position to advise your political and administrative principles about critical matters within your respective environment,” he said.
“This is the role you must completely and seamlessly perform. It is a matter of common sense that communication is an essential function in any organisation. So you need to step up and bridge the apparent communication gap between the government and the public.
“As important catalysts in the course of change, you need to always pick up signals important to those who make decisions,” said Maluleke.
PURPOSE OF COLLINS CHABANE MUNICIPLAITY COMMUNICATIONS FORUM
He said this communication forum must afford the communicators an opportunity to engage with key stakeholders on pertinent government communications ideas. Including the extent to which the province, district, and local government communications can be improved.
“As leaders who occupy strategic positions, you have a responsibility to disseminate messages that shape and empower the society. You ought not to fail in this regard. As communicators, we would like to urge you to reflect on the implementation of provincial communication strategy. You must agree to sustain all platforms, and ensure that development communication takes prominence in their messages,” he said.
Department of Home Affairs district manager Vhembe District, Zamba Maluleke said the purpose of the Communication Forum was to discuss the issues related to local and provincial communications. As well as to provide a platform for municipal communications to better communicate progress.
“It assists us to share information with them, our challenges, and other things that Home Affairs is involved in. As the department, we are dealing with death, birth, and everything, we are owing the community the public education. We need to educate them about the requirements when they visit for service at Home Affairs.
“It became important because this Communication Forum assists us to take information to the people. So that when they visit us they come with the entire information and it becomes easier for us to service them,” said Maluleke.
He said communities when they come, let them come to the services. If they are not receiving joy, let them contact the leadership that is displayed on the walls of all Home Affairs. “We are here to help, they must not be dissatisfied without contacting the leadership,” he said.
