COM1513 Assignment 3 Semester 1 2026 - Due 28 May 2026

ASSIGNMENT 03: WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT DUE DATE: 28 May 2026 23:00 PM Assignment Instructions • Read the Eskom scenario carefully. Answer all the questions. • Use concepts and theories from COM1513 study units 1–5. • You MUST properly cite the study units in your answers • Your assignment examples and application need to be based on or refer to Eskom. Eskom – Communicating Through Crisis and Transformation Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd, South Africa’s state-owned electricity utility, has been at the centre of national crisis for over a decade. Persistent load‑shedding (planned power cuts) has damaged the economy, eroded public trust, and created intense political and social pressure. Eskom serves multiple stakeholders: government (as sole shareholder), employees (over 40,000), labour unions (NUM, NUMSA, Solidarity), business and industry bodies, civil society, and the general public (about 60 million people). In 2023–2025, Eskom launched a new corporate communication strategy aimed at rebuilding credibility. Key elements included: • Weekly System Status briefings by the Generation and Transmission heads, broadcast live on SABC News and social media (Twitter/X, Facebook). a new, decolonial, stakeholder‑centred communication strategy that restores trust, improves internal coordination, and reflects an African positionality. SECTION A QUESTION 1 The scenario mentions vertical (downward/upward) and horizontal communication problems. Analyse these problems in detail. For each direction, propose one communication intervention that would improve flow, justifying your proposal with reference to communication theory (e.g. transmission vs transactional models). (10) QUESTION 2 Identify and analyse two examples of informal communication in the Eskom scenario. Explain how the “grapevine” affects internal coordination and employee morale. Use at least two concepts from network communication (e.g. network roles, network forms). (10)