SONA 2020: Towards an integrated communications approach - NEDEBE GROUP

SONA 2020: Towards an integrated communications approach

Introduction

• President Cyril Ramaphosa will deliver the State of the Nation Address (SONA) on 13 February
  2020

• The SONA is, without a doubt, one of the highlights of the annual political calendar and heralds the
  opening of Parliament where government’s priorities for the year are set out

• SONA 2020 takes place against a backdrop of immense opportunities and equally daunting
  challenges, demanding therefore that communications is targeted, unambiguous, coordinated and
  extremely well executed

• It is for this reason therefore, that the government strategic communication coordination
  mechanism must be harnessed to work together, aligned and leveraging economies of scale

• It also calls upon the government communications system to leverage its unique strengths towards
  a common objective and common approach

Underlying principles

▪    Single, coherent message across government
▪    Message formulation and delivery based on government priorities
▪    Clear political authority from the strategic centre of government
▪    Effective coordination across all government entities
▪    Integrated management of communications
▪    Message discipline and accountability
▪    Effective, consistent media relations
▪    Popular participation by the masses of the South African people

Communication Environment
• The SONA take place almost two years
 to the day since President Ramaphosa
 was first sworn in as President of the
 Republic
• During that time significant progress has
 been made to address pressing
 challenges confronting the country incl:
• Stabilising and strengthening key organs
 of state including NPA, SARS, SAPS
 and State Owned Enterprises
• Stemming the tide against state capture
 and corruption
• Adoption of reforms to drive the recovery
 and growth of the economy
• Rebuilding of South Africa’s standing in
 continental and global politics

Communication Environment

• Nonetheless, the South African people continue to expect even faster progress given the enormity of
 issues which characterize our society, notably:

    • Looming credit rating review by Moody’s
    • Energy security
    • Crisis of joblessness
    • Stagnant economic growth
    • Scourge of crime and corruption
    • Landlessness
    • Pervasive gender based violence and femicide

SONA 2020: Tonality
SONA 2020 is about succinctly and explicitly
communicating to the people of South Africa about a
country at work, steadily making progress and the vision
and plan to realize the nation’s aspirations
The foundation for ‘building the South Africa we want’ has
been laid. For 2020, it is time we #Khawuleza growth for
all South Africans.
Tonality of the campaign must be:
• Positive and forward-looking
• Communicating the success stories
• Positioning the President as a leader of his word and
  government as a government at work
• Celebrating any successes while acknowledging the
  challenges that lie ahead

Communications Objectives

• To deliver high-quality, accessible information about SONA to all South Africans and the
 media
• To raise the profile of SONA, the President and government via all available media channels
• To position government as an administration committed to delivering progress
• To communicate successes achieved since last SONA
• To set out the vision for the country post delivery of SONA 2020

Put simply:

  SONA 2020 is the continuation of a process of engaging with South Africans and creating
                      unity through leadership that inspires and delivers

“Now is the time to implement.
As President, I no longer want to
hear excuses from ministers.
Our premiers must stop
accepting excuses.
No more excuses, we must just
now implement because our
people deserve the best.”

President Cyril Ramaphosa

Messaging: Pre-SONA
Multimedia campaign covering:

1.Mass based and unmediated communications

• Community activations
• Door-to-Door

2. Digital/Social media campaign

• Audio visual
• Sponsored/Paid for content
• Influencer strategy

3. Traditional and community media

• Opinion Pieces
• Media Engagement
• TED Talk type engagements?

Roll-Out Plan

 Phased Approach

 • Pre-SONA: Post Cabinet Lekgotla (2 Feb) - 12 February 2020

 • SONA: Delivery of the SONA

 • Post-SONA: 13 February and ongoing

Where are we now?
Timeline

                      Pre-
 First year of Presidency
                       SONA   SONA   Post-SONA debate   Delivery   SONA
                                                                   2021

              We are here
     Pre-SONA                 SONA    Post-SONA

Messaging: Pre-SONA

  Together, we have made progress in growing South
        Africa. Let’s join hands to do more….

• Focused on 7 priorities and 5 fundamental goals

• Report on progress on previous SONA commitments and other pronouncements of
  the 6th administration

• #SONA2020 #GrowSouthAfrica

Pre-SONA Reach
•    The National Executive as well as all
     Communicators encouraged to engage with the
     campaign hashtags.

•    Campaign briefing notes and templates to be
     provided

•    Ministers will also be expected to create and
     publish op-ed pieces on SONA.

•    All Departments expected to partake in SONA build
     up community activities

A pre-SONA
online activation

#GrowSouthAfrica
#SONA2020

Campaign launch on February
2

Inviting all South Africans to
share what they want to hear in
the upcoming SONA speech.

The annual State of the Nation Address is an
    exceptionally important speech. As I write it, the views,
    concerns & welfare of ordinary South Africans are
    foremost in my mind. Which of these issues do you think
    should receive priority attention?

        Corruption
z
        SOEs
        Crime
        Jobs
        Investment

    #SONA2020 #GrowSouthAfrica #HolaMongameli

#HolaMongameli
 •   Participants will be invited to take part through a series of posts on
     social media.

 •   The President is doing this to listen to their suggestions. Some may
     even be featured in the SONA speech itself.

 •   The President will acknowledge the input from South Africans (even if
     only online)!

 •   All social responses will be filtered under the hashtag
     #HolaMongameli and #GrowSouthAfrica.

 •   High-profile influencers will be ‘nudged’ to take part (internal to
     government and external).

 •   Polls will be used to ensure that the feedback is framed properly
     and conversations do not spiral out of control.

Pre-SONA event
•   The pre-SONA Youth Dialogue in 2019 was a great
    success for all who attended.

•   The NYDA is leading this initiative and will revert
    accordingly

•   This needs not be a huge catered function – it could also be
    a simple online dialogue disseminated via social media or
    a hosted discussion at the University of the Western Cape.

•   Invited guests could include top maths matriculants, top
    achievers in the province and other youth influencers

•   To drive public participation, questions submitted online
    from the public could be answered during the course of         Local students from Camps
                                                                   Bay High School at the 2019
    discussions.                                                   Youth Dialogue event

Resources required: Pre-SONA

Element                                                 Responsible
Content for messaging: How much progress has really     Presidency
been made in South Africa                               GCIS
                                                        Departments
Key messages                                            Presidency
                                                        GCIS

SONA Media Logistics                                    GCIS
                                                        Parliament
Audio visual material:                                  Presidency
- Cluster Chairs on areas of responsibility             GCIS
- Ministers and Other Spokespersons                     Departments
- Third Party Influencers
Creative execution: How much progress has really been   Presidency
made in South Africa

Mass Mobilisation programmes and attendant media        GCIS
mobilisation                                            Departments
                                                        NYDA

30 anniversary communication plans and AU activations   Presidency
                                                        GCIS

SONA SPEECH

#SONA2020 #GrowSouthAfrica

  … I’d like to thank all the South
Africans who have been talking to
me in person and online about
how we are Growing South
Africa’…

The actual SONA
•   Government social media teams briefed and in
    place before and during the SONA event

•   Taking over all social channels and distributing
    consistent high-quality content

•   Sharing important SONA key points and
    information as these are delivered by the President

•   Key points explained with clear graphics and easy-
    to-understand copy.

Post-SONA
•   Issue based roundtables and media briefings by Ministers on
    pertinent issues from the SONA speech

•   Official launch of the MTSF (DPME)

•   Popularisation of SONA outcomes and program of action

Post-SONA
•   www.stateofthenation.gov.za

•   Site content will be updated to reflect the most recent
    SONA as soon as the speech is finished.

•   We will add a variety of content from online sources (as
    per current SONA website).

•   The SONA site needs to be curated – we propose
    starting a programme of adding to the site every month.

•   This website will hopefully form a catalogue of NDP and
    SONA goal achievements.

How are we going to
Grow South Africa in 2020?
Click to find out more …