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The SABC has banned the DA's controversial flag burning advert after the received widespread criticism on social media, with people saying that the party was burning the "rainbow nation".
Party leader John Steenhuisen announced this in Diepkloof in Soweto on Thursday. He, however, added that the DA's message of hope and its call to rescue South Africa would not be silenced.
He explain that the advert, which was launched on Sunday, showed South Africans what dysfunction could look like after the national elections on 29 May if the voters failed to come out in their millions to vote for the DA.
Steenhuisen said:
“The piece [advert] delivered a powerful wake-up call to voters that if they stay at home on election day or if they split the DA’s vote, this 'doomsday coalition' between the ANC and EFF would burn our country to the ground,” he said. “And boy, did it succeed?”
READ: DA's burning flag advert is 'fear-mongering of the worst kind' - Mmusi Maimane
He noted that for the whole week, South Africans had been talking about nothing else but the advert.
SABC rejects advert, cites damage to national symbols
Meanwhile, the letter from the SABC, signed by complaints specialist Nyiko Shibambo, informed the Independent Communications Authority of SA (Icasa) of its decision to reject the advert. The public broadcaster said it had rejected the ad after monitoring the outcry from South Africans of all races condemning the flag burning advert.
Read the letter:
The letter added that the SABC had also noted the condemnation of the advert by President Cyril Ramaphosa and other government officials.
The SABC asked the DA to amend the advert adding: “As a responsible public broadcaster, the SABC will not want to be part of fuelling the outrage that is evidenced on divergent media platforms.”
In an unprecedented attack on our democracy, deployed ANC cadres at the SABC have banned the DA’s latest advertisement from the air to hide the truth of how the ANC has burnt our country to the ground. The DA will fight to the highest court in the land to defend our constitution. pic.twitter.com/pDdHKt7kZe
— John Steenhuisen MP (@jsteenhuisen) May 9, 2024
According to Steenhuisen, the prospect of seeing the flag and all that it symbolises going up in flames had grabbed the attention of the country ahead the most profound political transition in 30 years.
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Steenhuisen slams Ramaphosa and ANC
He said in the 29 May general elections, the ANC would lose its majority but it would do anything to stay in power.
He warned:
Steenhuisen emphasised that the elections were about survival "of the South African flag and the South African dream". He said the advert showed that there was a way to restore the South African flag to its full glory. He accused Ramaphosa of being desperate to defend the ANC's planned coalition with the EFF and "other looters" when he condemned the burning of the flag.
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He said Ramaphosa tried to label their message as "treason".
Steenhuisen countered:
He added: "He committed treason against our flag when he consigned more than 30 million people to poverty and more than 10 million people to unemployment. He committed treason against our flag by plunging millions of children into hunger and malnutrition while he spent R139 million on food on board his VIP jet,” he said.
He accused Ramaphosa and the ANC of being corrupt traitors against the people of South Africa. "For 30 long years, they have desecrated our beautiful flag with their looting and their incompetence.”
