The Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) is a news and information unit that provides communication services for government bodies, including newsletters, analytical reports targeting specific government bodies and three news services (two publications and a news portal).
Media assets
Publishing: Public Sector Manager, Vuk’uzenzele
Digital portal: SA News
State Media Matrix Typology: State-Controlled (SC)
Ownership and governance
The GCIS was established through the Public Service Act of 1994 (further amended). Its publications are run on behalf of the Ministry of Communications. GCIS reports to the Ministry in the Presidency.
The Director-General of GCIS is the official spokesperson of the government, also chairing the GCIS Executive Committee (Exco), a strategy-making body.
Source of funding and budget
GCIS is wholly government funded. It was allocated a subsidy of ZAR 382m (US$ 23.1m) for the 2016/17 financial year. It spent 98.7% of its allocated budget, according to the latest financial data available. GCIS also generates some additional revenue through ad space purchased by other government departments in the monthly newspaper Vuk’uzenzele. For the fiscal year 2022/2023, GCIS was allocated a total budget of nearly ZAR 720m (US$ 45.4m), according to data from the government.
Editorial independence
The publications and newsletters and magazines publish purely government-related information and their mission is to promote government’s interests and policies.
There is no independent assessment or oversight mechanism and no domestic statute establishing the independence of GCIS, which is a purely state agency working for the government.
September 2023