CABINET CONDUCT: Government to induct Cabinet ministers in social media norms after controversial posts

In an effort to curtail the increasing frequency of social media controversies involving government officials, the South African government will soon begin inducting ministers and their deputies on appropriate conduct on social media platforms.

This was revealed by Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, in response to a query from Daily Maverick regarding the potential introduction of a social media policy for Cabinet members.

The decision comes in the wake of several social media spats involving newly appointed ministers, particularly Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie.

Ntshavheni emphasised that the induction is not intended to stifle ministers’ communication but to ensure that they adhere to proper communication protocols.

Since the formation of the GNU, McKenzie and others have found themselves embroiled in public disputes, raising questions about the coherence and professionalism of the government’s public messaging, with ministers and deputy ministers coming from a diverse range of parties, including the ANC, DA, PA, IFP, PAC, Al Jama-ah, Good, UDM and FF+.

Read more: GNU of rivals — ministers trying to outshine one another can improve overall governance

Apparent differences in the GNU came to the fore while McKenzie was attending the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games in Paris on 26 July.

Statement released

His department released a statement, attributed to Deputy Minister Peace Mabe, condemning Israel’s participation in the Games. The statement questioned why Israel had not faced the same international treatment as South Africa did during apartheid.

Notably, McKenzie was unaware of this statement until it had already been distributed through government channels. McKenzie, a known supporter of Israel due to his religious beliefs, took to X to express his displeasure with Mabe’s comments. 

I shall respond fully in regards to my displeasure about the statement released by Deputy Minister of Sport, Arts & Culture Ms Peace Mabe only after the Olympics. I don’t want politics to take centre stage now, this is the time for @OfficialTeamRSA, let’s rally behind them 👊🏾👊🏾👊🏾

— Gayton McKenzie (@GaytonMcK) July 27, 2024

Lack of comms protocols

The incident highlighted the internal discord and lack of communication protocols within the government, further fuelling the need for an official induction on social media conduct.

Ntshavheni stressed the importance of such an induction, stating, “The government has a media, communications policy, and protocols for government communicators, which includes ministers. There will be an induction for ministers and deputy ministers [so] that they will come to understand what are the dos and don’ts…We will continue to work with them, the new ones in particular.”

The urgency of this induction is further underscored by the social media uproar surrounding the Miss South Africa pageant. Chidimma Adetshina, a 23-year-old model whose nationality has been questioned due to her Nigerian father and Mozambican mother, has been at the centre of a heated debate. 

McKenzie’s controversial comments on X, suggesting that “Nigerians” should not be allowed to compete in the Miss South Africa competition, have exacerbated tensions in a country already deeply divided over issues of xenophobia, citizenship and immigration.

Situation escalated

The situation escalated when the Department of Home Affairs announced preliminary findings suggesting potential fraud in the acquisition of South African citizenship by Adetshina’s mother on Wednesday night. A full investigation is currently underway, but public discourse has shifted from the pageant itself to a broader sociopolitical crisis.

Ntshavheni emphasised that the induction is not intended to stifle ministers’ communication but to ensure that they adhere to proper communication protocols.

“We are currently working with the departments to finalise their own communication plans, which will also be aggregated to a cluster plan so that towards the end of this month, if not next month, we start to see ministers and deputy ministers communicating more government programs as it relates to their departments than their personal views because those platforms are made for that,” she said.

As the government seeks to maintain a unified and professional front, the upcoming induction is seen as a critical step in preventing further discord and ensuring that ministers’ personal views do not overshadow official government messaging. DM