Report highlights McKenzie and Gwarube as top ministers for social media engagement
Members of the panel on the 6th edition of the Decode's Government Leaders on X report during a discussion of lack of government participation on social media platforms.
Image: Itumeleng English / Independent Newspapers
Ministers of Sports and Basic Education, Gayton McKenzi, and Siviwe Gwarube, have once again been singled out by Decode's 6th edition of Government Leaders on X report as some of the country's most responsive ministers in the country.
Their interactive styles have garnered recognition as South Africa grapples with accountability and operational challenges within government structures.
The sixth edition of the report was unveiled at a gathering of communicators from state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and other entities in Sandton on Thursday.
Themed “Year of Reckoning and Resilience”, the report undertook a deep dive into the digital engagement of public leaders and the institutions they represent, analysing over 340 accounts on X (formerly Twitter).
For the first time, the report expanded its focus from politicians to include 275 public institutions and SOEs crucial to service delivery, trust, and accountability.
Key insights emerged from the analysis of communication from significant institutions, including Eskom, Telkom, and SABC. The findings reflect an evolving landscape of public confidence during the current Government of National Unity (GNU) era.
Unsurprisingly, high engagement rankings were attributed to President Cyril Ramaphosa, Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi, and McKenzie, highlighting the need for ministers to foster substantial public dialogue. Moreover, while Ramaphosa has over three million followers on X, questions remain about his responsiveness to public interaction.
Decode CEO Lorato Tshenkeng delivering the outcomes of the 6th Government Leaders on X report.
Image: Itumeleng English / Independent Newspapers
When it comes to government communication in provinces, Decode CEO Lorato Tshenkeng revealed that all provinces, except Gauteng and the Western Cape, were found wanting, with all provincial MECs in Gauteng actively sharing their daily activities on X.
"More than 85% of the MECs from the country's nine provinces are absent from X. Gauteng MECs are well-represented on X, along with those from the Western Cape. However, the same cannot be said of the seven other provinces, whose presence on X remains horrible," Tshenkeng stated.
The Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA), Songezo Zibi, speaking during the launch, stated that it has become difficult for people on the go to keep up with media messages as times have changed and people's attention span has become a rare commodity.
SCOPA Chairperson Songezo Zibi gave his input during the launch of Decode's 6th Government Leaders on X report in Sandton.
Image: Itumeleng English / Independent Newspapers
He further called out the lack of social media presence of the Minister of Finance, labelling his lack of presence as a missed opportunity for true engagement with ordinary South Africans, who are left in the dark on what it takes to put together a Budget Speech.
"Beyond the 'Once-a-Year' Speech, the Finance Minister cannot believe he only speaks once during the Budget Speech. If you don't explain how the system works, you will continue to get 'beaten up' by misinformation. Engagement is a full-time job," Zibi ventured.
With South Africans spending more time on their phones than they do reading, Zibi is of the view that any government communicator should be maximising the presence of their entities and principals on X and any other platform that has audiences.
"We see more on our phones in 45 seconds today than we did in six hours 15 years ago. In adapting for the future, we must make it easy for a 72-year-old minister to have a powerful presence," he added.