Bloom checkmated by alert health spokesperson

Motaletale Modiba gives masterclass in communication

- Themba Sepotokele

For more than two decades, the DA in Gauteng, especially the long-serving shadow MEC for health Jack Bloom pushed a successful media onslaught to discredit the Gauteng Department of Health.

The campaign focused mainly on challenges bedevilling the ailing health system, which are also compounded by the influx of people from other provinces and foreign nationals - legally or illegally seeking medical attention, not discounting the own goals scored by the health system, including corruption, rogue labour unions, unethical medical practitioners and uncouth nursing staff.

Over the years, Bloom's media campaign worked like a charm.

He would ask questions at the Gauteng legislature to expose the challenges in the health system and follow up the responses by issuing media statements.

From Talk Radio 702 to SAFM, and any major newspaper you could think of, Bloom would be everywhere.

His campaign is firmly rooted in the DA communication and media strategy, however, he mastered it for a few reasons.

First, health issues are human rights issues, therefore are easily relatable to media audiences.