A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of Communication Science at the University of Zululand, South Africa, 2012. / The under-resourced and overused public health sector of South Africa has been the subject of national policy reform initiatives and frequent government led investigations. Subsequently, in October 1997, the government introduced eight Batho Pele principles to serve as acceptable policy and legislative framework regarding service delivery in the public service. However the media has constantly criticised the public health system for their pathetic service delivery. Hospitals and clinics have been portrayed as being overburdened and under-productive. Multiple efforts by the government to remedy (and rescue) the situation have not decreased nor diminished the problems. The primary goal of this study is to examine the current quality of service offered by the public health system in South Africa especially in terms of service delivery proposed by the Batho Pele principles. More importantly, how the Batho Pele principles are communicated to the external publics will be evaluated to ascertain the challenges key government sectors face in the adoption and application of these principles. The participation of patients and staff members of two public health facilities in KwaZulu-Natal provided this study with valuable information on which this study is based. The data was collected through the use of structured interviews of in-patients and questionnaires for both outpatients and staff members. A total of 255 patients and 92 staff members participated in this study. Further, the study exposes provocative and controversial issues in the public health system and hopes to stir awareness amongst its respective leaders and its publics. This study demonstrates how challenges faced by the public health organisations through poor ineffective communication techniques caused it to fail to meets its intended purpose. This study also exposes provocative and controversial challenges which place our health care system at risk of total annihilation if left unattended. The study speaks to issues of accountability such as: planning, budgeting and decision making and the plight of the people of our nation.