ERMELO – Modise was among the facilitators of a communication training programme initiated by the Office of the Premier in Mpumalanga.
The training had its genesis from the resolution of the executive council adopted in November, to train executive mayors and council speakers in Mpumalanga’s 20 municipalities.
The training focused on the national communication policy, media engagement and social media, as part of capacity building. Modise said local government leaders should never push communication to periphery, but make it an integral part of accountability to the electorate.
“In my 30 years of media experience, I have learned that great leaders communicate and great communicators lead,” he said with a chuckle during the first session in Ermelo. He added that it can only be bad communication if public representatives only communicate with the voters ahead of the elections, and once they are in office, neglect the responsibility to communicate with them for accountability. Modise stated that when leaders in government communicate, the objectives must be to inform, update, mobilise, explain, account and clarify.
He cited Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr and John F Kennedy among the leading examples, to illustrate the importance of communication. “Kennedy understood that if you lead people, you should influence them. He led America for three years, but remains one of the mostquoted American presidents. The FBI tried unsuccessfully to portray Martin Luther King Jr as antiAmerican in his struggle for the rights of African-Americans. But he used the media to communicate his philosophy and the campaign to vilify him became unsuccessful.
Mandela, too, communicated particular messages using international TV networks that sought to portray him negatively,” he said.
In his presentation, Modise guided the local government leadership on how to use radio and television as platforms for communication.
“Radio and TV have a mass appeal and provide you access to millions of people at the same time. When correctly used, your message can reach multiple communities simultaneously. You must segment your audience and be focused. In that way, you will be able to communicate effectively.”
Modise pioneered talk shows on Metro FM before joining SAFM, Radio 702 and Power FM as one of the revered talk show hosts in the country.
He had a stint on BBC in England, and a decorated career on TV, hosting Good Morning SA on SABC 2, and the Modise Network on eNCA and Soweto TV.
The Mandela-De Klerk interview pre-1994, which he co-hosted with Freek Robinson, is among the highlights of his career.”