https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/183 2026-09-21T07:53:47Z 2026-09-21T07:53:47Z Ntem, Martin Thompson Kwadzo https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32815 2026-08-28T10:27:16Z 2024-01-31T00:00:00Z

Communicating health crises: framing of the coronavirus pandemic by select Ghanaian news portals Ntem, Martin Thompson Kwadzo Like many countries, the outbreak of the coronavirus disease in Ghana in March 2020 and the attendant manifestations impacted the country drastically, leaving behind unforgettable memories. Yet, there has not been any significant study on how the pandemic was covered at the critical time of the outbreak and the ramifications thereof. Thus, this study investigated media portrayals of the coronavirus pandemic in four selected Ghanaian online news portals to understand the overall nature of media coverage of the pandemic and its impact on media consumers’ perceptions. Six specific objectives were addressed: to investigate the core issues the media focused on, to identify the core frames that dominated media reportage of the pandemic, to investigate the primary sources of news, to investigate the main phases of coverage that characterised Ghanaian media coverage of the pandemic, to understand the core factors that accounted for the selection of frames that were engaged in reporting the pandemic, and to understand how the media coverage influence people’s perception and behaviour about the pandemic. The research was underpinned by the Media Framing and Agenda Setting theories of communication alongside a qualitative approach that collected and analysed three data sets. First, purposive sampling was used in collecting and content analysing data from four online Ghanaian news portals: citinewsroom.com, gna.org.gh, peacefmonline.com, and myjoyonline.com from March 12, 2020, to March 24, 2021. Second, four health reporters from each selected news portal were purposively sampled and interviewed to help the researcher understand their framing choices. Finally, convenience sampling was used to select respondents for focus group discussions and participatory workshops to understand the perceived effects of the pandemic news coverage on Ghanaians. The data from these three sources were analysed and the results, triangulated. The study found that political issues constituted the major issues that dominated media coverage of the selected Ghanaian media outlets during the pandemic, and the issues were reported using ‘politics’ frames. It implies that most of the pandemic stories were sourced from political elites and government officials, with less from health experts and the international media. The results also indicate that the selected media reported issues more from social and political perspectives. However, the four selected media were also found to report misinformation, leading to confusion and fear among the public. Consequently, the results provide insights into how media organisations can better report on public health emergencies, thus contributing meaningfully to the larger goal of improving health communication during crisis situations. The study, therefore, recommends that the media provide responsible reportage during health crises as a crucial contribution to shaping public perception and effectively influencing people’s response efforts in such situations.

2024-01-31T00:00:00Z Msibi, Cleopatra Ntombifhuthi https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32767 2026-07-23T08:48:32Z 2026-07-12T00:00:00Z

Government communication and the paradox of participation: towards a participatory communication framework for youth entrepreneurship in South African townships Msibi, Cleopatra Ntombifhuthi This thesis interrogates the paradox that defines government communication in democratic South Africa, the persistent gap between the rhetoric of participation and the reality of bureaucratic control. This thesis interrogates a central paradox in government communication within democratic South Africa: the persistent gap between the rhetoric of participation and the reality of bureaucratic control. While government policies emphasise youth participation, empowerment, and inclusion in economic development, the communication practices that follow often contradict these intentions. Instead of fostering meaningful engagement, communication remains largely top-down, bureaucratic, and one-directional, providing information rather than creating spaces for dialogue or shared decision-making. Consequently, participation is celebrated in discourse but constrained in practice. Youth are positioned as key economic actors, yet the very communication channels meant to support them frequently limit their agency. The promise of participatory communication therefore remains aspirational, as structural obstacles, fragmented coordination, and entrenched institutional habits continue to uphold the status quo. Guided by the Communication for Participatory Development (CFPD) model and the Ubuntu philosophy, the study conceptualises communication as a dialogic, ethical, and relational process central to empowerment and inclusive governance. It adopts a qualitative research design involving semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions with youth entrepreneurs and government communication officials across four Gauteng townships, Soweto, Mamelodi, Thembisa, and Sebokeng. Complementary content analysis of government communication policies, including the GCIS Government Communication Policy (2018) and the Government Communicators’ Handbook, provided institutional and policy context. Findings reveal that government communication remains largely top-down, characterised by one-way dissemination through traditional media such as radio, television, and formal outreach events. These modes are poorly aligned with township youth's interactive, digital, and culturally dynamic communication preferences. Although policy frameworks espouse participatory ideals, in practice, communication tends to reproduce bureaucratic hierarchies that limit dialogue, feedback, and inclusivity. Youth participants described government messages as inaccessible, overly formal, and disconnected from their lived realities, resulting in mistrust, low participation, and alienation. Conversely, youth expressed strong preferences for digital and community-based communication channels, particularly WhatsApp, TikTok, Facebook, and community radio, which they viewed as spaces for immediacy, authenticity, and peer learning. The study also found that while government officials recognised these gaps and endorsed participatory communication in principle, implementation was constrained by limited capacity, centralised decision-making, and rigid approval systems. To bridge these disjunctures, the study proposes the Framework for Participatory Communication for Youth Entrepreneurship (FPCFYE). This model integrates the procedural logic of CFPD and the ethical sensibility of Ubuntu to transform communication from a bureaucratic task into a participatory practice of co-creation. The framework comprises three interlinked layers: enabling inputs (policy, institutional capacity, and digital infrastructure), participatory processes (dialogic co-creation, feedback integration, capacity building, and relational accountability), and transformative outcomes (trust, empowerment, and inclusive governance). The study concludes that the challenge is not the absence of participatory policy but the absence of participatory culture. Bridging this gap requires institutional reform, ethical responsiveness, and decentralised communicative practice that recognises youth as co-authors of development. By reimagining communication as an act of care, reciprocity, and collaboration, the thesis contributes to the decolonisation of participatory communication theory and offers a practical model for transforming state–citizen relations in South Africa’s township economies.; Leli thisisi lihlole iphutha eliyingqayizivele elichaza ukuxhumana kukahulumeni eNingizimu Afrika yentando yeningi, okuwukuba khona kwesikhala esingapheli phakathi kwenkulumo yokubamba iqhaza (participation) kanye neqiniso lokulawulwa yizinhlelo zobuhlakani bezokuphatha (bureaucratic control). Ucwaningo lugxila kule ngxabano eyisisekelo ekuxhumaneni kukahulumeni ngaphakathi kwentando yeningi yaseNingizimu Afrika, lapho izinqubomgomo zikahulumeni zigcizelela ukubamba iqhaza kwentsha, ukunikezwa amandla, kanye nokubandakanywa ekuthuthukisweni komnotho, kodwa izindlela zokuxhumana ezisetshenziswayo zivame ukuphikisana nalezi zinhloso. Esikhundleni sokukhuthaza ukubandakanyeka okunengqondo nokuzwakalayo, ukuxhumana kusalokhu kungaphezulu kwehla (top-down), kunobuhlakani bezokuphatha, futhi kuhamba ngohlangothi olulodwa, kugxile ekudluliseni ulwazi kunokudala izikhala zengxoxo noma zokuthatha izinqumo ngokuhlanganyela. Ngenxa yalokho, ukubamba iqhaza kugujwa enkulumweni kodwa kuncishiswe ekusebenzeni. Intsha ibekwa njengabalingisi ababalulekile emnothweni, kepha izindlela zokuxhumana ezihloselwe ukuyisekela zivame ukunciphisa amandla ayo okuzimela nokuthatha izinqumo. Ngakho-ke, isithembiso sokuxhumana okubandakanyayo sisalokhu siyisifiso, njengoba izithiyo zesakhiwo, ukungahleleki kokuhlanganiswa kwemizamo, kanye nemikhuba esezinzile yezikhungo kuqhubeka nokugcina isimo esikhona. Luqondiswa imodeli ye-Communication for Participatory Development (CFPD) kanye nefilosofi yoBuntu, lolu cwaningo luqonda ukuxhumana njengendlela yengxoxo, enesimilo, nenobudlelwano, ebalulekile ekunikezeni amandla nasekubuseni okubandakanyayo. Lwamukela uhlelo locwaningo lwekhwalithi oluhlanganisa izingxoxo ezihleliwe ngokungaphelele (semi-structured interviews) kanye nezingxoxo zamaqembu agxilile (focus group discussions) nentsha engosomabhizinisi kanye nezikhulu zikahulumeni kwezokuxhumana emalokishini amane aseGauteng: iSoweto, iMamelodi, iThembisa, neSebokeng. Ukuhlaziywa kokuqukethwe kwezinqomgomo zokuxhumana zikahulumeni, okuhlanganisa i-GCIS Government Communication Policy (2018) kanye ne-Government Communicators’ Handbook, kunikeze umongo wenqubomgomo nowezikhungo. Imiphumela iveza ukuthi ukuxhumana kukahulumeni kusalokhu kuyindlela ehla phezulu, kugxile ekusatshalalisweni kolwazi ngohlangothi olulodwa ngezindlela zendabuko ezifana nomsakazo, ithelevishini, kanye nemicimbi esemthethweni yokufinyelela umphakathi. Lezi zindlela azihambisani kahle nezintandokazi zokuxhumana zentsha yasemalokishini, ezisebenzisanayo, ezidijithali, neziguquguqukayo ngokwesiko. Yize izinhlaka zenqubomgomo zikhuluma ngemigomo yokubamba iqhaza, ekusebenzeni ukuxhumana kuvame ukuphindaphinda izigaba zobuhlakani bezokuphatha, okunciphisa ingxoxo, impendulo, kanye nokubandakanyeka okubanzi. Intsha ebambe iqhaza ichaze imiyalezo kahulumeni njengengafinyeleleki, esemthethweni ngokweqile, futhi engaxhumene nezimo zayo zokuphila zansuku zonke, okuholele ekungathembaneni, ekubambeni iqhaza okuphansi, nasekuzihlukaniseni. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, intsha iveze izintandokazi eziqinile zeziteshi zokuxhumana zedijithali nezomphakathi, ikakhulukazi i-WhatsApp, i-TikTok, i-Facebook, nomsakazo womphakathi, ezibona njengezikhala zokushesha, ubuqiniso, nokufunda ngokulingana. Ucwaningo luphinde lwathola ukuthi yize izikhulu zikahulumeni zizibona lezi zikhala futhi zivuma ngokomqondo ukuxhumana okubandakanyayo, ukusetshenziswa kwalokho kukhawulelwe amandla alinganiselwe, ukuthathwa kwezinqumo okuphakathi nendawo, kanye nezinhlelo eziqinile zokugunyazwa. Ukuvala lezi zikhala, ucwaningo luphakamisa i-Framework for Participatory Communication for Youth Entrepreneurship (FPCFYE). Leli fulemu lihlanganisa umqondo wokusebenza we-CFPD kanye nomuzwa wokuziphatha woBuntu, ukuze liguqule ukuxhumana lisuke emsebenzini wobuhlakani bezokuphatha liye emkhubeni wokubamba iqhaza wokudala ngokuhlanganyela. Ifulemu linezendlalelo ezintathu ezixhumene: okokufaka okwenza kube nokwenzeka (inqubomgomo, amandla ezikhungo, kanye nengqalasizinda yedijithali), izinqubo zokubamba iqhaza (ukudala ngengxoxo, ukuhlanganiswa kwempendulo, ukwakhiwa kwamakhono, kanye nesibopho sobudlelwano), kanye nemiphumela eguqulayo (ukuthembana, ukunikezwa amandla, kanye nokubusa okubandakanyayo). Ucwaningo luphetha ngokuthi inselelo ayikona ukungabi bikho kwenqubomgomo yokubamba iqhaza, kodwa ukungabi bikho kwesiko lokubamba iqhaza. Ukuvala lesi sikhala kudinga uguquko lwezikhungo, ukuphendula ngokuziphatha, kanye nezindlela zokuxhumana ezihlakazekile ezibona intsha njengababhali ngokuhlanganyela bentuthuko. Ngokucabanga kabusha ukuxhumana njengesenzo sokunakekela, sokuphindiselana, nokubambisana, leli thisisi lifaka isandla ekuchithweni kwemibono yobukoloni emfundweni yokuxhumana okubandakanyayo futhi linikeza imodeli esebenzayo yokuguqula ubudlelwano phakathi kukahulumeni nezakhamuzi emnothweni wasemalokishini eNingizimu Afrika.; Loluphenyo lwe thesisi liphenya ngekuphikisana lokuchaza kuchumana kwahulumende eNingizimu Afrika yentsandvo yelinyenti, lokubonakala njengesikhebesi lesingapheli emkhatsini wenkhulumo yekubamba lichaza kanye neliciniso lekulawulwa kwetinhlelo tebulawuli lobusemtsetfweni kanye nelusha lolusemabhizinisini. Lolucwaningo lugcizelela kutsi noma tinchubomgomo tahulumende tigcizelela kubamba lichaza kubantfu labasha , ekuniketweni kwabo emandla kulabo labafuna kutitfutfukisa kutema bhizinisi, tindlela tekukhulumisana letisetjentiswako ekusebenteni tivame kuphikisana naletinhloso. Esikhundleni sekukhutsata kubandzakanyeka lokunenhloso nalokujulile, kukhulumisana kusolo kugcile ekulawulweni kwaletinhlelo ngulabasemagunyeni kunekutsi labasha nabo babe nemandla ekutsatsa tincumo ngekubambisana naye hulumende. Ngenca yaloko, kubonakala ngatsi hulumende uyakhuluma kuphela koja bese kuba yinkinga ekwenteni kuze kufezeke letinjongo tekutfutfukisa lusha. Kutfolakala kutsi lusha noma lubonakala kutsi lunemdlandla neligalelo ekutfutfukiseni imnotfo njengabo somabhizinisi, letindlela tekuchumana letisentjentiswa nguhulumende atikhoni kufeza letifiso telive ne lusha ekutseni batfutfukise umnotfo. . Ngako-ke setsembiso sekuchumana ngekuhlanganyela sihlala sisifiso, njengobe tihibe tesakhiwo, kuhlanganiswa lokuhlukene, kanye nemikhuba yesikhungo lecinile ichubeka nekugcina simo lesikhona. Loluphenyo lucondziswa yimodeli ye-Communication for Participatory Development (CFPD) kanye nefilosofi yeBuntfu (Ubuntu), futsi lucabanga kukhulumisana njengenchubo yenkhulumiswano, lenesimilo, naleyakha budlelwano, lebalulekile ekuniketeni emandla nasekubuseni lokuba bandzekakanyako. Lwamukela luhlelo lucwaningo lelisezingeni loluhlanganisa tingcogco letihlelekile (semi-structured interviews) kanye netingcogco tema-group lagcilile (focus group discussions) nelusha lolubo somabhizinisi kanye netikhulu tahulumende letibuke kukhulumisana, emalokishini lamane aseGauteng: iSoweto, iMamelodi, iThembisa, neSebokeng. Kwengeta kuloko, kuhlatiywe lokucuketswe tinchubomgomo tekukhulumisana tahulumende, lokufaka ekhatsi i-GCIS Government Communication Policy (2018) kanye ne-Government Communicators’ Handbook, lokunikete umhlahlandlela wetinchubomgomo kanye netikhungo. Imiphumela yelucwaningo iveta kutsi kukhulumisana kwahulumende kusalokhu kugcile kakhulu endleleni lehla ngetulu, kugcizelela kusakatwa kwelwati ngeluhlangotsi lunye ngekusebentisa tindlela tendzabuko letifana nemsakato, bo mabonakudze (TV), kanye nemicimbi yesikhungo lesemthethweni. Letindlela atihambisani kahle nentsandvo yelusha lwemalokishi, lese isebentisa tindlela letintsha tekuchummana. Noma tinhlaka tetinchubomgomo tikhuluma ngemigomo yekubamba lichaza, ekusebenteni kukhulumisana kuvame kuphindzaphindza tibanga tebulawuli lobusemtsetfweni, lokunciphisa inkhulumiswano, kuphendvulana, kanye nekubandakanywa lokugcwele. Ngakulolunye luhlangotsi, lucwaningo luvete tindlela letinsha tekuchumana lesetisentjentiswa lusha lwase malokishini. Leti tifaka ekhatsi bo WhatsApp, TikTok, nabo Facebook konkhe lokutfolakala etincingweni naloku sentjentiswa kakhulu bantfu labasha. Lolucwaningo luphindze lwatfola kutsi noma tikhulu tahulumende titivuma letikhebesi ekuchumaneni nelusha, titsi tisenebulukhuni ekusebentiseni tonkhe letindlela letinsha tekuchumana ngetizatfu letinyenti lokufaka nemigomo yahulumende lolawula kusebenta kwabo. Kute kufezeke letifiso tekutfutfukisa lusha ngekuchumana lokusezingeni, lolucwaningo luphakamisa i-Framework for Participatory Communication for Youth Entrepreneurship (FPCFYE). Loluhlelo lihlanganisa indlela yekusebenta ye-CFPD kanye nemtsetfo wesimilo weBuntfu (Ubuntu), ngenhloso yekugucula kukhulumisana kusuke emsebentini webulawuli lobusemtsetfweni kube ngumkhuba wekubamba lichaza wekudala ngekubambisana. Loluhlelo linetigaba letintsatfu letihlanganisanako: lokokufaka lokwenta kube nekungeneka (tinchubomgomo, emandla etikhungo), tinchubo tekubamba lichaza (kudala ngekukhulumisana, kuhlanganiswa kwemphendvulo, kwakhiwa kwemakhono, kanye netiibopho tekucinisa budlelwane), kanye nemiphumela legucula simo (kutsembana, kuniketwa emandla, kanye nekubusa lokulinganako). Lolucwaningo luphetsa ngekutsi insayeya akusiko kungabi khona kwenchubomgomo yekuhlanganyela kepha kungabi khona kwelisiko lekuhlanganyela. Kuvala leligebe kudzinga tingucuko tetikhungo, kuphendvula ngekutiphatsa, kanye nemkhuba wekuchumana losakateke kakhulu lobona lusha njengebabhali labahambisanako bentfutfuko. Ngekucabanga kabusha ngekuchumana njengesento sekunakekela, kubuyisana, kanye nekubambisana, lethesisi ifaka sandla ekucedzeni emakoloni ethiyori yekuchumana lehlanganyelako futsi iniketa imodeli lesebentako yekugucula budlelwane bembuso netakhamuti eminotfweni yemalokishi aseNingizimu Afrika. Text in English with abstracts in Zulu and Swati

2026-07-12T00:00:00Z Lebele, Seapei Pascaline https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32754 2026-08-28T08:47:15Z 2026-03-03T00:00:00Z

Investigating the role of branding in strategic communication: a qualitative study of the GCIS and Department of Tourism Lebele, Seapei Pascaline This study investigated the role of branding in strategic communication within the South African government, with reference to the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) and the Department of Tourism. Although government branding has attracted scholarly attention, it is often treated in isolation from broader strategic communication processes. This separation creates gaps in understanding how branding functions as an integrated component of government communication. Furthermore, limited research has examined government branding through a systems theory lens. Grounded in systems theory, the study adopted a qualitative, phenomenological research design to explore communicators’ experiences of branding within their institutional contexts. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with thirteen purposively selected communication practitioners from the GCIS and the Department of Tourism. Data were analysed using thematic analysis to identify recurring codes and themes. The findings indicate that branding plays a strategic role in enhancing brand awareness, thereby contributing to the achievement of institutional objectives. Branding was also found to support differentiation, credibility, trust-building, and legitimacy in government communication, although its effectiveness still depends on consistent implementation and alignment with other organisational objectives. However, the study identified challenges related to brand consistency, highlighting the need for ongoing training and internal alignment among communicators and other staff members. The study contributes to advancing government communication policy and practice by positioning branding as an integral component of strategic communication rather than a standalone activity. It further enriches the literature on government branding by applying systems theory and recommends a phased approach to reinforcing implementation, improving guidelines, and fostering institutional learning to enhance effectiveness in practice and additional research to deepen theoretical understanding in this area.

2026-03-03T00:00:00Z Mohajane, Makgoane Paul https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32716 2026-08-06T07:13:44Z 0026-02-27T00:00:00Z

Exploring rhetorical use of social media in corporate communication: an interpretive study using Aristotle’s ethical rhetoric framework during a crisis in an Odel institution Mohajane, Makgoane Paul This study examines the rhetorical use of social media by a large South African open distance and e-learning (ODeL) university, using a governance crisis as a high-pressure context in which institutional credibility (ethos) was publicly tested. Rather than analysing the crisis itself, the research treats the episode as a natural laboratory for evaluating Aristotle’s ethical rhetoric framework in digital communication. The study assesses how institutional statements on Facebook and X performed in terms of ethos (credibility), pathos (emotional engagement), and logos (reasoned argument). An interpretive qualitative content analysis was conducted on four purposively selected official statements posted between August and November 2023, examined alongside their public interaction threads. While the wider communication environment included substantial platform activity, the analysis focused on rhetorically salient crisis statements to assess how credibility was constructed and received under scrutiny. Findings indicate that logos was the dominant appeal, reflected in structured argumentation and legal referencing. However, gains in ethos were moderated by a guarded tone and constrained explanatory depth, while pathos was applied narrowly and without dialogic engagement. The uniform, text-heavy approach showed limited adaptation to platform-specific dynamics. The study contributes by operationalising Aristotle’s appeals for social media analysis and by identifying three practical gaps: an emotion-response gap, a platform-adaptation gap, and an ethos-rebuilding gap. The findings suggest that institutional rhetoric under pressure requires balanced integration of credibility, emotional responsiveness, and reasoned clarity to sustain trust in digital public spaces.

0026-02-27T00:00:00Z