The 51-member task team, appointed in July to advise communications minister Faith Muthambi, has yet to achieve its primary objective, more than three months after its appointment.
The National Communications Task Team (NCTT) includes several controversial names well-known within the South African political and business landscapes, including Hlaudi Motsoeneng, Jimmy Manyi and Vusi Mona.
At the time of its appointment, Muthambi gave the NCTT a tight deadline, calling for the finalisation of a roadmap for the minister to oversee communication policy and strategy, information dissemination and publicity, and the branding of SA abroad. This was supposed to have been concluded by the end of July.
However, almost three months later, the Department of Communications (DOC) says the goal has yet to be met, but that the voluntary forum has given the department some guidance. Muthambi's spokesperson, Bongiwe Gambu, says: "The task team was established in the absence of a fully-fledged department to assist in driving the communication policy work.
"The task team has given us broad ideas on how to approach the communications policy."
Gambu says there will be a gradual process to transfer the work of the NCTT into the department, and reveals the task team has held two plenary meetings since its inception. "The team does not have a calendar, but meets as and when required," she explains.
Modest budget
Gambu reveals a "modest" budget has been set aside to cover the basic costs of the NCTT's work, adding that other than travel, no other costs are incurred in respect of the task team members' time. "An indicative amount of R150 000 has been set aside for the costs associated with the work of the task team, such as meetings and travel."
She says the team meets at various venues, "depending on the availability and geographic location of members of its subcommittees". However, most of the meetings are held at the head office of BrandSA - which hosts the work of the task team.
Since the inception of the sizeable task team, says Gambu, no formal resignations have been submitted to the minister, adding: "With a voluntary structure of this nature, it is quite possible that some people will drop-off as we go along.
"The task team is a voluntary and temporary structure to deliver on our work in the absence of a fully-fledged department. With the department established, and once all vacant positions are filled, it is quite possible such a task team will no longer be necessary."
Gambu notes that despite challenges relating to staffing at the DOC, work has commenced, including the review of the 1995/6 Comtask Report on the progress of the implementation of its recommendations. Comtask is the final report of a task group on government communications, originally reporting to then deputy president Thabo Mbeki.
"In addition, we are reviewing existing communication policy. It will be followed by international benchmarking with comparator countries," says Gambu.
Heavily criticised
The DOC has come in for much criticism for appointing the task team, and specifically for some of the contentious personalities that make up the team.
Reacting to the appointment of the team, Democratic Alliance shadow minister of communications Gavin Davis said while it is the minister's prerogative who she appoints to her advisory team, "[Muthambi] had an opportunity to rise above partisan politics, but she didn't take it".
In addition, the current configuration of the DOC and the Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services (DTPS) - created when president Jacob Zuma split the previous communications ministry into two - has been criticised for being regressive, confusing and lacking clarity.
While the DOC, under Muthambi, has been positioned as government's propaganda machine, there is much confusion within industry and government as to the responsibilities of this department, versus the DTPS. Rumours of a power struggle between Muthambi and telecommunications and postal services minister Siyabonga Cwele have already surfaced.
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