Dit is nie wat die GCIS vir die mense van Suid-Afrika s wat saak maak nie, maar wel dt wat hulle van die mense weerhou. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)

[Mr N J VAN DEN BERG: It's not what the GCIS tells the people of South Africa that matters, but rather what they withhold from the people.]

Hon Speaker, the Promotion of Access to Information Act was passed by the Parliament of South Africa in 2000. I quote:

... to foster a culture of transparency and accountability in public and private bodies by giving effect to the right of access to information;

and -

... actively promote a society in which the people of South Africa have effective access to information to enable them more fully to exercise and protect all of their rights. In May 1998 Dr Essop Pahad said about the GCIS:

It is to see that all South Africans receive comment and information that enable them to make rational choices about their lives.

The GCIS is an important tool in the hands of the ANC - a propaganda machine. Mr Chabane, you are an honest man of good character. Please don't be a Minister of propaganda. Your name is not Joseph.

The GCIS tells the people what the government thinks the people should hear. Does the GCIS really inform the public of bad service delivery, bad management in ANC-governed local municipalities, corruption, the reasons for the downward spiral at local government level? The only way for the people to let their voices be heard is to go to the streets.

If the GCIS really did its communication job correctly, they would go to troubled areas beforehand and inform the people of the eminent problems. They would hear that the government knows about their problems and what the action plan is.

"What is the government going to do about the problem?" they will ask. Do not wait for Vesuvius to erupt and then send a high-profile ministerial delegation to do damage control. This is another name for the GCIS: the government's damage control department.