Why Twitter?

Although Facebook has the most number of users in South Africa, like in many other countries – Twitter is the most news-friendly social media platforms. It is by far the place that journalists are most likely to spend their social media energies.

Twitter remains the most influential platform used as a channel for news and prompt information sharing by politicians, government leaders, public representatives, media and communication professionals, journalists and newsrooms.

Twitter's influence has been elevated by its ability to provide a platform for real-time outrage, consumer activism, social mobilization by brands and governments.

With these considerations and observations, the biggest question is: are South African members of the cabinet, their departments and ministers' spokespeople on Twitter?



Categories

Cabinet Member Accounts National Department Twitter Accounts Cabinet Member Spokespeople Accounts


Accounts are sorted from most followed to least followed.

1. Presidency | South Africa 🇿🇦

@PresidencyZA

Followers: 1763771

Following: 16

Joined twitter on: Mon May 18 08:38:44 2009

2. SA Police Service 🇿🇦

@SAPoliceService

Followers: 715610

Following: 2438

Joined twitter on: Mon Jun 20 08:25:53 2011

3. Department of Health

@HealthZA

Followers: 273220

Following: 1373

Joined twitter on: Thu Jan 20 09:16:59 2011

4. Dep. Basic Education

@DBE_SA

Followers: 222195

Following: 4516

Joined twitter on: Mon Jul 19 07:24:29 2010

5. HomeAffairsSA

@HomeAffairsSA

Followers: 120060

Following: 1739

Joined twitter on: Thu Jun 30 17:35:30 2011

6. National Treasury

@TreasuryRSA

Followers: 111022

Following: 140

Joined twitter on: Wed Jun 05 06:43:46 2013

7. Department of Employment and Labour

@deptoflabour

Followers: 75137

Following: 138

Joined twitter on: Mon Mar 15 07:37:12 2010

8. DIRCO South Africa

@DIRCO_ZA

Followers: 71856

Following: 4221

Joined twitter on: Wed Jan 28 15:14:12 2015

9. Department of Transport

@Dotransport

Followers: 52516

Following: 339

Joined twitter on: Thu Jul 02 21:20:02 2015

10. Water&SanitationRSA

@DWS_RSA

Followers: 49613

Following: 8244

Joined twitter on: Thu Jul 31 17:29:52 2014

11. NationalCoGTA

@NationalCoGTA

Followers: 48015

Following: 38734

Joined twitter on: Mon Nov 11 20:31:12 2013

12. Social Development

@The_DSD

Followers: 45953

Following: 5138

Joined twitter on: Wed Mar 04 06:29:13 2015

13. Department of Mineral Resources and Energy ‏

@DMRE_ZA

Followers: 36219

Following: 365

Joined twitter on: Mon Jun 11 13:18:41 2012

14. Dept of Tourism

@Tourism_gov_za

Followers: 29914

Following: 338

Joined twitter on: Mon Mar 25 09:29:02 2013

15. StateSecurityZA

@StateSecurityRS

Followers: 24641

Following: 650

Joined twitter on: Tue Apr 12 07:47:19 2011

16. National DPSA

@thedpsa

Followers: 23861

Following: 2636

Joined twitter on: Mon Sep 17 08:04:40 2012

17. HigherEduTrainingZA

@HigherEduGovZA

Followers: 23272

Following: 1344

Joined twitter on: Tue Mar 20 13:08:47 2012

18. Department of Agriculture, Land Ref and Rural Dev

@DALRRDgov_ZA

Followers: 22745

Following: 935

Joined twitter on: Wed Apr 25 09:04:36 2012

19. Dept of Women, Youth & Persons with Disabilities

@DWYPD_ZA

Followers: 19271

Following: 972

Joined twitter on: Thu Jan 30 11:58:11 2014

20. Environmentza

@environmentza

Followers: 19219

Following: 1152

Joined twitter on: Mon Jun 29 13:42:19 2015

21. Human Settlements

@The_DHS

Followers: 18551

Following: 1790

Joined twitter on: Mon Apr 15 11:06:09 2013

22. TelecommunicationsZA

@DtpsZA

Followers: 16022

Following: 212

Joined twitter on: Mon Aug 13 13:12:13 2012

23. DPE_ZA

@DPE_ZA

Followers: 15695

Following: 565

Joined twitter on: Mon Jan 16 14:17:54 2012

24. Department of Small Business Development

@DSBD_SA

Followers: 11111

Following: 78

Joined twitter on: Thu Aug 01 21:02:37 2019

25. Department of Military Veterans

@VeteransZA

Followers: 8884

Following: 288

Joined twitter on: Fri Sep 06 07:24:41 2013

26. Department Of Public Works and Infrastructure

@DepartmentPWI

Followers: 4132

Following: 566

Joined twitter on: Thu Aug 11 06:52:56 2016

27. Ministry of Justice and Correctional Services 🇿🇦

@Min_JCS

Followers: 1030

Following: 200

Joined twitter on: Sat Jul 06 10:51:02 2019

28. Department of Arts & Culture

@ArtsCultureSA

Followers: 653

Following: 257

Joined twitter on: Tue Mar 31 10:16:15 2020