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The media are projecting a perception that the government is at war with itself, and always portray a negative image of South Africa, ANC MPs said yesterday in Parliament
After a presentation by Brand SA – the government agency that markets the country overseas – ANC whip in the portfolio committee on communications, Lerumo Kalako, said: “If you read the South African press you will think that the country is about to die.”
He said this was also the case in the international media.
“What you see in the South African media is always negative.”
Kalako said that an image had been created of a government that is at war with itself.
Cabinet leads the country, but the perception that is created is that Cabinet can’t do anything because there is too much fighting, he said.
He added that the government was being portrayed as corrupt.
He wanted to know from Brand SA how, against this background, the organisation handled the country’s image.
Other ANC members of Parliament agreed with him.
ANC MP Nokuzola Tolashe wanted to know how Brand SA was marketing the country.
“The perception out there is that we’re a country about to have its natural death. … We have our president in court, and everybody thinks there won’t be a South Africa.”
Kingsley Makhubela, Brand SA’s chief executive, said they looked on the bright side.
“We need to project the goodwill that comes out of us as a country.”
He said the positive things that were happening in South Africa were used as trademarks, and the shortcomings were acknowledged.
“We want the world to know that we are working on our shortcomings.”
He said people were concerned about what was happening in Parliament, but Brand SA said it was a good example of a democracy at work.
“When courts make rulings against the government, we project it as systems that work,” said Makhubela.
“What works in this country are checks and balances.”
Linda Sangaret, Brand SA’s marketing manager, said it was very complicated to build a nation’s brand.
“We are calling on South Africans to play their part. The need to be patriotic.”
She said that political upheavals did not scare people off from visiting the country, in spite of what was in the media.
A country is not just reduced to its government, she said.
She added that Brand SA had programmes in place to “tell the good stories” to the international media.
“Our job is not to add fuel to the fire.”
