BY REGINALD KANYANE

The Local Government Communicators Forum (LGCF) has once again encouraged communicators in municipalities to heighten the usage of social media networks such as Facebook and Twitter, and improve municipal websites to contribute to the enhancement of the image of municipalities in the province and promote interaction with communities.

This came out at the last session of the LGCF for the financial year 2015/16 held at Rustenburg. 

The Chairperson of the LGCF and the Director responsible for Media and Communication in the department of Local Government and Human Settlements, Ben Bole said young people who constitute majority of the Bokone Bophirima population, are active users of these platforms and as municipal communicators this is the space they need to occupy to communicate good government stories.

Ben Bole said: “The current day and age, government needs to be more open and transparent about its working and these social networking sites can help in evolving a more participatory government.” 

Bole further said that as institution that ignores usage of social media networks and the power that is poses, they are not taking communication serious.

“Social media has taken centre stage and most of the organisations depend on them to communicate, engage and serve communities. Social media can mobilise social campaigns, enable communications and discussions on public or departmental forum, spread awareness, provide instant news and information. In so doing they are making our lives easy as communicators,” he said.

Bole said few municipalities in the province are still not active users of these important medium and the forum resolved to support all municipalities to heighten their participation in that space.
-TDN
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