Communication on national crisis gets lost in translation

GOVERNMENT officials are not singing from the same hymn sheet on the root cause of the violent scenes that played out in the country over the past two weeks.

This follows the demonstrations calling for former president Jacob Zuma to be released from prison morphing into civil unrest, largely taking the shape of rampant looting in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.

President Cyril Ramaphosa initially pointed to the state of chaos as being driven by ethnic mobilisation and later described it as a “failed insurrection”. However, Defence and Military Veterans Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula disagreed, saying the military had no evidence to that effect.

Meanwhile, State Security Minister Ayanda Dlodlo said her department had compiled a dossier warning of the unrest, and handed it over to the Police Ministry. But Police Minister Bheki Cele denied having had sight of the report. These contradicting messages have since led to growing calls for the president to sack both Cele and Dlodlo for their incompetence in handling the crisis.

Experts say ministers not speaking with one voice on the issue indicates disunity within the governing party.

“It suggests that there are political dynamics behind the scenes that suggest a lack of unity and coherence within the ANC and Cabinet. To directly contradict the president will generally be interpreted as trying to undermine him,” Institute for Security Studies (ISS) head of justice and violence prevention Gareth Newham said.

“Certainly there appears to be evidence of orchestrated (insurrection), for example, the burning of trucks to interrupt the main supply route between KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng. This supports the view that there was a measure of planning.

“It also started directly after the incarceration of former president Jacob Zuma and direct threats from his supporters,” said Newham, describing an insurrection as an organised rebellion, using violence with the objective of weakening or overthrowing an established government.

political analyst Professor Siphamandla Zondi said although he believed this was a case of miscommunication, rather than insubordination, its impact might convey the government lacking cohesion and unity at the top.

“It unfortunately puts pressure on the president to be seen to be in charge. But in cracking the whip that he’s being enticed to, he must be careful not to overreact, and rather talk to his minister and release corrective communication,” Zondi said.

“Externally it conveys a sense of dissonance and incoherence to international audiences. This is not good for the image and structure of South Africa. If the minister and president issue a corrective message saying this is the final word, it would make a difference,” he added.

However, Professor Sipho Seepe said the fact that Mapisa-Nqakula and Ramaphosa did not speak the same language meant that the president was not advised by his ministers.

“Ministers should brief the president on areas that fall under their responsibility. The same applies to the president’s attribution of the unrest to ethnic mobilisation. Surely he should have received his briefing from Police Minister Bheki Cele before making a fool of himself.

“Suggesting that the 12 individuals (alleged instigators) are responsible for the national unrest is desperate and embarrassing. How can 12 people be more influential than the country’s collective leadership, comprising members of Cabinet and deputy ministers, premiers, MECs, mayors and councillors? Such a suggestion means we have no leadership … that the country is on autopilot,” said Seepe.

Meanwhile, Ramaphosa's spokesperson Tyrone Seale told the Sunday Independent that the government was united in defining “this failed effort as a counter-revolutionary threat to the democratic state”.

He added that Mapisa-Nqakula had also reinforced this assessment in a public statement.

“The presidency wishes to reiterate the characterisation by the government of recent events as a deliberate, co-ordinated and well-planned attack on our democracy, intended to cripple the economy, cause social instability and severely weaken or even dislodge the democratic state. Using the pretext of a political grievance, those behind these acts have sought to provoke a popular insurrection,” said Seale.

Both the State Security and Defence ministries did not respond to questions by the time of going to print.

However, on Tuesday, acting Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni wrote to Mapisa-Nqakula that her department and the National Security Council, through the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS), would be responsible for leading interaction on the recent developments.

“Colleagues are requested to clear all communication needs and media queries on the recent developments in the country with the acting minister in the presidency to ensure synergy in responding to the media.”