One would have a reasonable expectation that when replying to a direct email sent to you by a person qualified in COMMUNICATIONS that you would receive a reply back.
In my experience I DO NOT EVER receive replies from the so called ‘communication experts’ in the local Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality Communications Office. If I actually thought that they were relevant then I would be irritated. In actual fact one can write EXACTLY the reply that they will make without even asking.
On 12 June 2012 at 10:54 am I received this ONE WAY communication from the NMBMM Communications office:
Members of the media are advised that President Jacob Zuma will on 16 June 2012 deliver a keynote address at the National Youth Day Commemoration under the theme, Working Together We Can Do More to Build Infrastructure and Fight Youth Unemployment, Poverty and Inequality. The President will be accompanied by Minister in the Presidency Collins Chabane, Eastern Cape Premier Noxolo Kiviet and National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) CEO Steven Ngubeni.
This year marks the 36th anniversary of the 1976 uprisings, and takes place within the context of the third anniversary of the establishment of the NYDA aimed at creating and promoting coordination in youth development matters.
The event details are as follows:
Date: 16 June 2012
Time: 10h00 – 13h00
Venue: Wolfson Stadium, Nelson Mandela Bay – Port ElizabethMembers of the media wishing to attend the event are requested to forward their names and identity document (ID) numbers for accreditation by no later than 12h00 midday on Tuesday 12 June 2012, to Refilwe Mphane: Cell: 071 037 6559 email Refilwe.mphane@nyda.gov.za or Palesa Madumo: Cell: 072 973 2996 email: PalesaM@jnpr.co.za
NB: Details of collection of accreditation cards will be communicated in due course and kindly present your ID and media card when collecting accreditation.
My rant is NOT about President Jacob Zuma cancelling his address to the youth of Port Elizabeth as he needed to catch up on some sleep before popping over to Mexico for a Tequila and Siesta along with other G20 leaders at another ‘important earth shattering conference and photo opportunity that will delay any decisions until the next meeting’ but more about a distinct lack of communication skills……
As the cut off time to submit my accreditation application was just over an hour away I notified Refilwe Mphane on Refilwe.mphane@nyda.gov.za and carried on with my work.
At 11:25 am I received this message from Refilwe:
Goo [sic] day
Please note that I will not be able to access my emails between 12 and 15 June 2012.
I immediately forwarded the above message to young Kupido Baron with this note:
FYI
Maybe you should remove Refilwe’s address and send again
In a normal world where people are accountable you would expect the recipient (Young Kupido, in this case) to immediately ensure that this error in a previous email was rectified and, as a thank you/apology, personally organise accreditation.
It is now 10 days after my email to communications and 6 days after R2.2 Million was spent on Youth Day celebrations at the Wolfson Stadium in Port Elizabeth and I still wait for the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality Communications office to get off their fat pay cheques and COMMUNICATE.
By the way – does anyone know just how much of the R2.2 Million was earmarked for our President’s comfort and security and how much was saved by his non-appearance?
Alan Straton
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The only time that we will have accountable local government is when the ANC is removed from power. They lack any degree of leadership, have no respect for those who finance their fancy life-styles and their arrogance is unequalled. The sooner, the better. The clock is ticking…
Would it surprise you that I wrote this rant on Saturday last week and didn’t have to change a thing as my predictions came true – Our esteemed NMMM Communications department obviously has set up their INCOMING Mail Server incorrectly and are thus UNABLE to reply (i.e. communicate) with anyone!
By all accounts, Alan, you certainly didn’t miss much! At least you got some well deserved quality time with your family – people who actually matter. Can the powers that be ever get anything right?
Who remembers the days when government were our servants, not our leaders?
Was there ever a time that Government were our servants?
Crap – with all these acronyms flying about I left a B out of the NMMM in the title of this rant – it should have been (and has since been corrected to) NMBMM.
My thanks to a fellow scribe who seems to share the same vexations as I.
And, no, Kupido – vexations is not a nice word – look it up, you will have time to do so when NOT replying today.