George Municipality's Communication Conundrum: Winning Awards But Losing Trust

The George Municipality, recently celebrated at the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) Nationals for its social media dynamism, faces a paradox that highlights a significant issue in local governance—the glaring gap between public recognition and public service.

On February 10, 2025, the George Municipality’s Senior Communications Officer, Ntobeko Mangqwengqwe, received accolades for being the "most active" local municipality on social media in South Africa. The event, held in Jeffrey’s Bay, aimed to reward effective communication strategies in local governance. However, the irony was not lost on the George residents, who contend with unresponsive governance, reflecting a stark contrast between the municipality's online activity and its offline actions.

Residents of George have repeatedly voiced frustrations over unresolved inquiries and delays in critical information dissemination, especially concerning public record access under the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA). This act mandates timely responses from public bodies, yet officials from George Municipality are accused of manipulating these timelines to the limits, undermining the spirit of transparency.

During his acceptance speech, Mangqwengqwe hailed the municipality's crisis management communication, exemplified by its response to the 2024 Victoria Street building collapse. However, this emphasis on crisis management rings hollow when everyday transparency and accountability are lacking. Effective emergency communication is undoubtedly crucial, but so is routine transparency, which remains an area where residents feel significantly underserved.

Executive Mayor, Ald Jackie von Brandis, in praising the Communications Team, highlighted digital and social media as potent tools for two-way community engagement. However, community interactions suggest that such engagement is selective at best. Although the municipality’s social media pages are regularly updated with news and events, community feedback and direct queries often receive cursory or no responses, displaying a form of communication that borders on monologue rather than genuine dialogue.

The contradiction between the municipality’s awarded "communication excellence" and the resident’s experiences of being ignored casts a shadow over the award’s credibility and, more broadly, the municipality's commitment to serving its constituents.

To truly serve and engage its residents, George Municipality needs to prioritize responsiveness and transparency in daily communications, not just in managing its social media facade. The community of George deserves a municipality that values their input and addresses their concerns promptly and effectively, ensuring that the flow of information is both ways and meaningful.

Until these issues are rectified, awards for communication will remain mere symbols without substance, and the trust between the George Municipality and its residents will continue to erode.