STATE AD SPENDING GOES IN-HOUSE

Public service to use own paper

THE government’s fortnightly newspaper Vuk’uzenzele is the public service’s preferred platform for the advertising of vacancies in order to cut costs.

Over a million public servants are employed by the government, which is widely regarded as one of the country’s biggest spenders on advertising – for vacancies, tenders and other notices.

Acting Government Communication and Information System director-general Donald Liphoko said the Public Service and Administration Department wrote to all national and provincial government departments to consider Vuk’uzenzele when advertising vacancies.

“In addition to where they advertise, they must consider Vuk’uzenzele,” Liphoko said.

He said that in the week the fortnightly does not publish, national and provincial government departments could use other publications.

In a letter dated May 24 2016, Public Service and Administration Minister Ngoako Ramatlhodi pleaded with his cabinet counterparts and other government components to consider using Vuk’uzenzele for the advertising of public services vacancies.

Ramatlhodi told his colleagues the move would see Vuk’uzenzele increase its print run and frequency and also contribute to fiscal prudence.

“This is in line with overall government austerity measures,” he said.

Vuk’uzenzele, formerly a magazine, was relaunched in 2011 as a tabloid during the tenure of former government spin doctor Jimmy Manyi. It publishes 21 editions annually including six in the first two quarters of a financial year, five in the third and four in the last.

The government claims Vuk’uzenzele’s reach is wider than any newspaper in the country.

Over 20 million copies are printed every year.

Vuk’uzenzele also has a mobile application through which its readers are able to download and read the newspaper, giving it a further reach.

It targets the lowest six living standard measures and promises its readers news and advice on the government’s socioeconomic opportunities.