South Africa’s International Marketing Council (IMC), which has been given the task of promoting a positive international image for the country through an international marketing campaign, will spend about R50-million a year, according to Minister in the Presidency Essop Pahad.
In reply to a question in Parliament from Democratic Alliance MP Nigel Bruce, who asked what IMC operations cost, Pahad said expenditure is projected to be R50-million a year but for the first part of the current financial year an amount of R33,2-million has been transferred to the IMC by the government communication and information system (GCIS).
The IMC is a public private partnership governed by a trust that functions as a public entity in terms of the Public Finance Management Act. Since April it has been responsible for managing its own finances. Prior to that it was operating for a short while under the GCIS budget.
Part of its mandate is to develop a uniform South African identity and to advise the Cabinet committee on international relations, peace and security on matters pertaining to the marketing of South Africa “and act as ambassadors for South Africa wherever possible”.
The IMC has embarked, the minister reported, on developing meaningful cooperation between the organisations involved in the marketing of the country “by creating a single-minded South Africa idea — a unique brand proposition — to underpin all country marketing endeavours in terms of investment, trade, tourism and diplomatic relations”.
The IMC is establishing a communication resource centre — a facility through which “to proactively enhance South Africa’s response to national and international media coverage, which is intent on creating a balanced perspective about South Africa”.
In reply to another question from Bruce, who asked whether any action had been taken against the person responsible for the R700 000 potential fraud referred to by the auditor general, Pahad said the finance manager had been suspended when the potential fraud came to light.
During the period of his suspension he resigned. The case had been reported to the commercial crimes unit of the South African Police Service and to the Scorpions. — I-Net Bridge