Planning and Implementation of Crisis & Strategic Communication Training Course in Johannesburg, South Africa
Classroom training in Johannesburg · next cohort Nov 2, 2026 · from USD 3,400
When a product fails, a leader is accused of misconduct or a disaster hits, the first hours decide whether an organisation keeps public trust. Teams that have no plan improvise, contradict each other and let rumour fill the silence. In the same way, everyday communication without a strategy wastes budget and confuses audiences. Five days give you the structure to do both well.
The strategic strand covers situation analysis, audience segmentation, objectives, key messages, channel selection, budgeting and evaluation, so campaigns follow a written plan. The crisis strand builds an issues and risk map, a crisis communication plan, a response team with clear roles, approval chains and templates for holding statements, press releases and staff notices. You rehearse spokesperson interviews, press conferences and hostile questioning, and practise monitoring and responding on social media, with attention to misinformation. Recovery sessions address reputation repair, stakeholder follow-up and learning reviews. Communication officers, public relations managers, spokespersons, corporate affairs staff, emergency coordinators and senior managers across government, NGOs, banks and companies will find it applicable. You can attend in a city classroom, online or in-house, and receive a CPD-accredited certificate.
At a Glance
Training in Johannesburg, South Africa
Johannesburg is South Africa's economic heart, home to the JSE and the head offices of Africa's largest companies.
More about training in Johannesburg →- Format
- Classroom, in Johannesburg
- Duration
- Mon - Fri (5 Days)
- Fee
- USD 3,400
- Next start dates
- Nov 2, 2026, Nov 30, 2026, Dec 28, 2026
- Certificate
- Certificate of Completion
- Airport
- O.R. Tambo International (JNB)
- Time zone
- South Africa Standard Time (UTC+2)
- Currency
- South African rand (ZAR). Fees are listed in USD.
- Business districts
- Sandton, Rosebank and Midrand
About this course
Communication now travels faster than any organisation can verify a fact. A video posted from a factory floor, a leaked memo or a misquoted statement can reach thousands before a press office has read it. At the same time, ordinary strategic communication has to compete for attention across many channels and prove its value to executives and funders.
The Planning and Implementation of Crisis and Strategic Communication Training Course treats these as one connected discipline. Participants first learn to plan: analysing the operating context, defining measurable communication objectives, understanding audiences and shaping a coherent narrative. They then learn to prepare for the worst, by identifying vulnerabilities, building a response structure, drafting materials in advance and agreeing who may speak and when.
The implementation phase moves from planning to practice. Exercises include a timed crisis simulation, media interview rehearsals on camera, social media monitoring drills and the writing of statements under pressure. Participants finish with a communication strategy outline and a crisis plan for their own organisation, together with feedback from facilitators and peers on tone, speed and clarity.
Training Objectives
By the end of the course, participants will be able to:
- Develop a strategic communication plan with objectives, audiences, messages, channels and measures.
- Analyse stakeholders and tailor narratives to different groups.
- Map issues and vulnerabilities likely to trigger a reputational crisis.
- Prepare a crisis communication plan with roles, escalation steps and approval routes.
- Draft holding statements, press releases and internal notices under time pressure.
- Perform confidently as a spokesperson in interviews and press briefings.
- Monitor and respond to social media during an incident, including false information.
- Evaluate communication outcomes and conduct a post-crisis review.
What you'll learn
Key Takeaways
Participants return to work with ready-to-use materials:
- A strategic communication plan outline with measurable objectives.
- A crisis communication plan with a response team chart and escalation path.
- A pack of templates for holding statements, releases and staff messages.
- Recorded interview practice and personal feedback on delivery.
- A social media incident playbook with monitoring and response rules.
Training Methodology
The course is built around rehearsal, because crisis skills grow through practice. Participants take part in:
- Timed simulations with injects delivered as news, calls and posts
- Recorded mock interviews and press conferences with feedback
- Drafting clinics for statements and releases
- Case discussions of well-handled and badly handled incidents
- Work on each person's own organisational plan
Day 1: Strategic Communication Planning
- Communication as a management function
- Situation and environment analysis
- Setting objectives that can be measured
- Stakeholder and audience segmentation
- Building a message house and core narrative
- Exercise: drafting a plan outline
Day 2: Channels, Content and Evaluation
- Choosing between earned, owned and paid channels
- Working with journalists and editors
- Content calendars and approval workflows
- Budgeting and resourcing communication work
- Measuring reach, sentiment and behaviour change
- Exercise: aligning channels to audiences
Day 3: Preparing for Crisis
- Types of crisis: operational, ethical, safety and digital
- Issues management and early warning signals
- Vulnerability audit and scenario planning
- The crisis team: roles, authority and decision rights
- Pre-drafted statements, Q&A and fact sheets
- Exercise: building a crisis communication plan
Day 4: Responding in the Moment
- The first hour: verify, decide and speak
- Spokesperson skills and bridging techniques
- Press conferences and difficult interview questions
- Handling social media, rumours and misinformation
- Communicating with staff, regulators and affected families
- Simulation: a live crisis with escalating injects
Day 5: Recovery, Learning and Action Planning
- Rebuilding trust and reputation after an incident
- Apologies, accountability and follow-up commitments
- After-action review and updating the plan
- Embedding crisis readiness: drills and training cycles
- Presentation of participants' plans
- Personal action plan and course review
The course is intended for those who speak, write or decide on behalf of an organisation, including:
- Communications and public relations officers and managers
- Corporate affairs and public information officers
- Organisational spokespersons and press secretaries
- Social media and digital engagement managers
- Emergency, security and disaster management coordinators
- Heads of department and executives who face the media
- Fundraising and advocacy staff in NGOs
- Customer experience and brand managers
Attendance and completion of the simulation and drafting exercises lead to a CPD-accredited Certificate of Completion issued by Vision Reach Global Consultancy.
Choose Where You Want to Learn
Planning and Implementation of Crisis & Strategic Communication Training Course Venues
South AfricaJohannesburgNext Nov 2· 13 dates$3,400Viewing- South AfricaPretoriaNext Nov 2· 13 dates$3,200
- South AfricaCape TownNext Oct 26· 13 dates$3,800
KenyaNairobiNext Nov 9· 13 dates$1,500- KenyaMombasaNext Oct 26· 13 dates$1,600
- KenyaNaivashaNext Nov 2· 13 dates$1,500
- KenyaKisumuNext Oct 26· 13 dates$1,500
- KenyaMachakosNext Nov 2· 13 dates$1,600
UgandaKampalaNext Nov 2· 13 dates$1,900
RwandaKigaliNext Oct 26· 13 dates$1,900
TanzaniaArushaNext Nov 9· 13 dates$1,900- TanzaniaDodomaNext Oct 26· 13 dates$1,800
- TanzaniaDar es SalaamNext Oct 26· 13 dates$2,000
- TanzaniaZanzibarNext Nov 16· 13 dates$2,600
NigeriaLagosNext Nov 16· 13 dates$2,800- NigeriaAbujaNext Nov 9· 13 dates$2,800
UAEDubaiNext Oct 26· 13 dates$3,800
GhanaAccraNext Nov 16· 13 dates$4,500
Scroll sideways to see all 18 cities →
Frequently Asked Questions About Planning and Implementation of Crisis & Strategic Communication Training Course in Johannesburg
Everything you need to know about this course before you register.
Planning and Implementation of Crisis & Strategic Communication Training Course runs as classroom training in Johannesburg, South Africa, in Monday-to-Friday cohorts that start every four weeks. The venue, daily timings and joining details are sent in your Joining Instructions email ahead of the start date.
The next Johannesburg cohort starts on November 2, 2026, and a new intake follows every four weeks. Pick a date under "Upcoming sessions in Johannesburg" above and click Register; your seat is confirmed once payment or a signed purchase order is received.
The classroom fee for Planning and Implementation of Crisis & Strategic Communication Training Course in Johannesburg is USD 3,400 per delegate, covering tuition and course materials. Register 3 or more delegates together and a 5% team discount is applied automatically.
Yes. Besides Johannesburg, Planning and Implementation of Crisis & Strategic Communication Training Course runs as classroom training in Pretoria and Cape Town. It also runs as live online training you can join from anywhere in South Africa, and in-house at your organisation's own premises.
Yes — Planning and Implementation of Crisis & Strategic Communication Training Course can be delivered at your offices in Johannesburg or at a venue you choose, on dates that suit your team, with case studies tailored to your sector. Message our training advisors to request a proposal.
By the end of the Planning and Implementation of Crisis & Strategic Communication programme, you'll be able to develop a strategic communication plan with objectives, audiences, messages, channels and measures, analyse stakeholders and tailor narratives to different groups, map issues and vulnerabilities likely to trigger a reputational crisis, and prepare a crisis communication plan with roles, escalation steps and approval routes. The full breakdown of topics is covered session by session in the Course Outline tab above.
The course is intended for those who speak, write or decide on behalf of an organisation, including: Communications and public relations officers and managers, Corporate affairs and public information officers, Organisational spokespersons and press secretaries, Social media and digital engagement managers, Emergency, security and disaster management coordinators, Heads of department and executives who face the media, Fundraising and advocacy staff in NGOs, and Customer experience and brand managers.
Planning and Implementation of Crisis & Strategic Communication Training Course typically runs as 5 Days. It's available as in-person classroom, live virtual, and in-house corporate training — every course can also be delivered on-site for your team on dates that suit you.
Yes — delegates who meet the attendance requirement receive a Certificate of Completion for Planning and Implementation of Crisis & Strategic Communication Training Course from Vision Reach Global Consultancy, issued in the name you register with, so double-check the spelling at checkout.
Planning and Implementation of Crisis & Strategic Communication Training Course is pitched at intermediate professionals. If you're unsure whether it's the right fit for your current role or background, message our training advisors before you register and they'll help you confirm.
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What Our Clients Say
VRG brings strategic discipline to complex organizational challenges. Their approach is structured, data-driven, and outcome-focused.
Levis Wabwire
Managing Director
They facilitated our strategy review, we improved departmental KPI alignment by 35% and reduced operational bottlenecks significantly.
David Oketch
Strategy Lead
Employee engagement scores increased following the leadership training program. The difference in accountability culture is evident.
Wendy Albright
Program Manager
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