The MINISTER IN THE PRESIDENCY - PERFORMANCE MONITORING AND EVALUATION, AS WELL AS ADMINISTRATION: House Chairperson, chairperson of the portfolio committee, Deputy Minister, Mr Bapela, hon members, honoured guests, friends and comrades, members of the Government Communication and Information System, GCIS, staff and management, members of the media, ladies and gentlemen, the GCIS mandate, since its establishment, was to serve as the central communications agency of a relatively new democratic government leading the reconstruction and development of postapartheid South Africa.