The Mayoral office in the Rustenburg Local Municipality has several role players whose task is to enhance the face of the said Office. The running of the day to day duties is handled by the Mayoral staff whose major task is also to liaise between the Executive Mayor and the members of the Mayoral Committee. Official issues concerning the Executive Mayor are tackled by this team which, inter alia, consists of Mr. Lucas Lenong Mokgara who is the Manager in the Office, Ms. Lesego Esther Mekgwe who is the Personal Assistant.

Other people who constitute the support staff to the Mayor includes Maggie Ayres,  Kitty Havenga, Mrs. Mirriam Moobi, Mr. Botumile Maseng who is responsible for Internal Communications , Mr. Butler Matlapeng who is responsible for External Communications and Mr. Eric Modisane who is currently the 2010 Coordinator.

Communications and Public Relations

Role of the Communication Department in the Mayors office.

Communication department acts as a primary point of contact for journalists or other media people seeking information or comment from the mayor’s office, the office will either respond directly on behalf of mayor’s office, after consulted with and secured information from officials of appropriate seniority and expertise e.g. Councilors or other department’s within different directorates. Monitors the print media on daily basis and do clip cuttings. This office is responsible for ensuring that there is adequate consultation with different directorates before releasing a media statement or holding a media briefing. Different requests for interviews information comments and other enquires are referred to this office so that they can be taken care of.

The communication departments assist other directorates with communication related matters. It encourages that communication flows in a way that employees within the municipality communicate grievances to the relevant department so that they can be solved in a good way and that is part of the easy flowing communication that is practiced internally.

Media and public liaison Relations

The communication department serves as a facilitator and co- coordinator of media liaison functions. The main function of the communication department is to keep the public informed about the activities of the municipality through different media channels. As a result of the mentione factors the Communication department improves the quality and effectiveness of municipality’s relationship with media by ensuring transparency, accountability and professionalism. The office has developed a common understanding of various roles and responsibilities in the interaction with the media.

Communication department shares a good bond with the public, every time a member of the public has a complaint about service delivery of the municipality the person approaches the communication office or rather hands in a written complaint to us and then the complaint will be taken to the relevant directorate in odder for the department to get a formal report so that the relevant people within the department can communicate the results to the public. Different communication methods are used to disseminate information to the public such as community meetings, print media or electronic

Different provisions are made interms of communicating different messages from the executive mayor to the public. Things such as buying airtime from the S.A.B.C and

Communication strategies that the department make use of

Copies of recent media releases, media releases and media responses

Reports that were prepared for the public

How does the Communication department inform the public about various projects that are undertaken by the Municipality

Responsibility of the communication department

The communication department encourages members of the staff to communicate internally first before communicating externally. (Communication is flowing in a way that employees within the municipality have been taught to direct their communication grievienes to the relevant department so that they can be solved amicably. The communication divisions assist other directorates with communication related matters, issuing media statements to the public.

Media Relations

Serves as a facilitator and co coordinator and of media liaison functions

There is a common desire between the municipality and the media to keep the public informed about the activities of the municipality. The media relations policy is consistent with broad communications policy framework. Communication department improves the quality and effectiveness of our relationship with media by ensuring transparency, accountability and professionalism.

The communication department has developed a common understanding of our various roles and responsibilities in our interaction with the media.

Responsibilities of the communication division

Communication staff acts as a primary point of contact for journalists seeking information or comment from the mayor’s office, the office will either respond directly on behalf of mayors office, having consulted with and secured information from officials of appropriate seniority and expertise.

Monitor the print media on daily basis and facilitate ad do press clippings.

Communication staff is responsible for ensuring that there is adequate consultation with internal stakeholders before releasing a media statement or holding a media briefing

Request for interviews information comments and other enquires are reoffered to the communication department

Special Projects

Coordinator Special Projects, in the office of the Executive Mayor is responsible for mainstreaming youth development, gender issues, disability issues and children issues in the programmers of the municipality also development of strategy’s and policies on the four key issues sand monitoring and evaluation of the implementation programmers, facilitation of special projects issues to reflect on the IDP and budget process

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