No comment, but please, that's off the record

The research paper examines the systemic failure of government communication and media relations across Africa, highlighting a persistent culture of suspicion, under-resourced public relations departments, and a lack of transparency among ruling parties, particularly those originating from liberation movements.

• Government media liaison officers in Africa generally lack an understanding of media operations, often missing deadlines and failing to recognize that journalist access can lead to more positive coverage. Many of these departments are under-resourced and staffed by individuals lacking media savvy, continuing a legacy of "propaganda-mongering mini-stry of information system."
• Ruling parties that emerged from freedom struggles and liberation movements often struggle with openness and transparency due to a history of operating under repression and fear of infiltration. This legacy, combined with large political mandates in countries like South Africa, Namibia, and Zimbabwe, has contributed to a culture of arrogance and suspicion toward open communication.
• Regional organizations such as the African Union (AU), the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (Nepad), and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) exhibit significant communication failures. These include unavailable spokespersons, non-functional or poorly maintained websites, and a general lack of priority regarding communication strategies, despite external offers of funding, such as a $3 million proposal from the Belgian government for SADC.
• There is a pervasive sense of paranoia among African governments regarding the media, particularly foreign media, which they perceive as being focused solely on negative reporting. In South Africa, the Government Communicators’ Handbook suggests that the media's negative focus is a result of a "mindset" rather than concrete issues.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2008). No comment, but please, that's off the record. https://saiia.org.za/research/no-comment-but-please-thats-off-the-record/

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. No comment, but please, that's off the record. 2008. https://saiia.org.za/research/no-comment-but-please-thats-off-the-record/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=No comment, but please, that's off the record |date=28 April 2008 |url=https://saiia.org.za/research/no-comment-but-please-thats-off-the-record/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2008comment, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{No comment, but please, that's off the record}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2008}, month = apr, url = {https://saiia.org.za/research/no-comment-but-please-thats-off-the-record/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }