Afrocentrism in the communication strategies used by the Department of Health and Social Developmental Welfare in the North West Province

Abstract

In an attempt to apply the new government policies and initiatives, the Department of Health and Social Developmental Welfare in the North West Province attempted since 1994 to take the lead in ensuring that it applies the government programmes in an inclusive, participative and informative way. This was noticeable in the way they publicized their programmes and embarked on campaigns to make their programmes known and understood by the public. This study firstly contextualises, describes and analyses programmes of the department, regarded by the provincial department to be the three top programmes, namely those pertaining to HIV/Aids and sexually transmitted diseases; mental health and substance abuse; and the maternal health and women's health. This was done to find out if the top three programmes are informed by the departmental mission statement, the Reconstruction and Development Programme, an African Renaissance and the four Afrocentric world view dimensions as discussed by Mbennah (1999: 138-196). It was found that notwithstanding the policies of government most programmes were still informed by a Eurocentric approach. In analysing the programmes in terms of the characteristics of an Afrocentric world view, it is concluded that very little "Afrocentrism" could be identified in the communication strategies.