In Picture : KZN Health MEC Simelane
“PR ADVICE TO POLITICIANS: MEC Simelane’s Case Is a Lesson for Everyone in Office”
As a PR expert, I need to share some serious advice, especially with those in government whether you’re a MEC, Mayor, Premier, or Minister .
If you’re facing media backlash, corruption allegations or public pressure how you respond is more important than what you say. That’s where Public Relations comes in.
But let me be clear: A PR campaign should NEVER look like a PR campaign.
The moment the public sees you are “cleaning your name” with PR, it starts to look suspicious especially if there are corruption or misuse of funds allegations involved. People will say you’re using state money to protect your image. Whether it’s true or not doesn’t matter perception is everything.
Case Study: MEC Nomagugu Simelane and the PR Worx Mistake
Recently, the KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Health, Nomagugu Simelane, came under fire after her name was linked to:
•A R1.4 million payment to a company allegedly tied to her family,
•A loan to her family farm from Ithala Bank,
•Accusations of nepotism and media interference.
Instead of using her official departmental communication team, she hired PR Worx, a private public relations company, to defend her reputation in the media. The agency released statements on her behalf and said she would “pay for the PR campaign out of her own pocket.”
But here’s where the whole plan fell apart:
1.The PR campaign became the story.
People were no longer talking about the allegations. They were now asking: “Why is she hiring PR companies when she has a full team in government?”
2.The public saw it as wasteful.
Even if she paid privately, it looked like a misuse of resources, and the timing made it worse.
3.She allowed the PR firm to speak for her.
In government, you have official spokespersons and directors of communication for a reason. You don’t bring outsiders to do the job your department is paid to do.
4.It gave ammunition to her enemies.
The same people attacking her before now had more firepower, accusing her of trying to cover up with spin.
These are serious PR mistakes that should have been avoided.
What Should Have Been Done Differently?
If I were leading that campaign, this is how I would have advised the MEC and how I now advise any other politician facing the same heat:
- Keep it inside.
Use your department’s communication team, and brief them properly. You already have a directorate of media and communication use them. The public respects official government statements more than external spin. - Let the work speak.
Get on the ground. Visit hospitals. Talk to patients. Let journalists accidentally bump into you doing actual work. No press release will beat a photo of you doing your job with no cameras.
3.
A PR campaign must be silent, like a ghost. Like an “inkabi” that disappears after the job. That’s how professional PR is done. It must shift perception without shouting, “Look at me, I’m fixing my image!”
- Address the issue once then move on.
Release one strong statement, with legal and factual backup. Then stop responding. Don’t fuel the fire. Public attention moves fast don’t drag your story longer than necessary. - Never outsource your voice.
Never allow a PR company to become the face of your defence. If people can name your PR firm, you’ve already lost the PR battle.
Also politicians must understand this PR is not about manipulation. It’s about managing perception through honesty, consistency, and strategy. You can’t fix public trust by reacting loudly or emotionally. You fix it by being disciplined, strategic and silent in your moves. A good PR campaign must feel like a change in the wind not a sudden storm.
Those in PR must not be desperate to be visible. The best PR campaigns are those you can’t trace back to a press release or a paid agency. True success is when the client walks freely again in public, with no hashtags chasing their name.
Image: MEC Simelane
Edgar Legoale
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