With any operational
entity servicing a dynamic base of almost 3.5 million customers via more than
40 fairly autonomous units, comprising a total staff complement of some 24 000
people, ongoing challenges around effecting scale economies and managing joint
projects is a given. In such a business case, communications as a discipline becomes
mission-critical as its impact, even at the best of times, resonates across
internal structures, target demographics and, indeed, on every link of the
customer value chain.
It is primarily
for the above reasons that eThekwini Municipality is intent on creating a
communications forum comprising key members of its various internal structures,
communications delivery corps, and related public- and private-sector stakeholders
in an effort to:
- Effect economies of scale and
thus minimise unnecessary expenditure across common municipal and related projects;
- Promote synergies through
periodic and structured inter-department and inter-stakeholder communications
efforts; and
- Seek opportunities to assist
the City and, by extension, its partners realise both its vision and its
strategic objectives.
Given the above, this document then sets out, as a draft, the
purpose, objective, operating principles, roles and responsibilities, functions,
representation, and activities of a communications-driven forum that will
henceforth be known as the “eThekwini City Communication Forum” (ECCF).
It is envisaged that input into this document will be made initially
by the core members of the team spearheaded by the City’s Communications Unit,
and will be ratified at the first formal sitting of the forum.