Government communication and the paradox of participation: towards a participatory communication framework for youth entrepreneurship in South African townships

Abstract

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.