SABC rejects DA’s ‘burning flag’ ad, refuses to air it unless amended

DA leader John Steenhuisen disagreed with the SABC and highlighted comments by Ramaphosa and ministers on the announcement. (Brenton Geach/Gallo Images)

• The SABC is refusing to air the DA’s controversial “flag burning” ad unless it is amended.
• The public broadcaster said it did not want to contribute to “stoking outrage” and that the burning flag goes against nation-building.
• Find everything you need to know about the 2024 general election on News24 election center.

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The SABC refuses to air the DA’s controversial flag burning announcement unless the party changes it.

SABC complaints specialist Nyiko Shibambo wrote to the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa), informing it that the public broadcaster would not run the advert.

“The SABC has been following the protests of South Africans of all races who condemn the advertisement currently circulating on various media platforms. Furthermore, the SABC believes that the advertisement encourages the damage of cherished national symbols. The national flag is a “national symbol that represents various elements of the country and national unity. Furthermore, the national flag is expected to be awarded with dignity and respect, so the flag is not a representation of a political party but of the nation in general,” it states. read in the letter.

“The SABC also noted the condemnation of the announcement by the president of the republic and other government departments.”

The broadcaster stated that, as a “responsible public broadcaster”, it wanted no part of “feeding the outrage evident on divergent media platforms”.

He added:

“The SABC, as a public broadcaster, is mandated to promote nation building through its services and such political advertisement goes against the spirit of nation building.

“The SABC has also noted that some of the words used in the advertisement in question are the subject of a formal complaint lodged with Icasa against the SABC. Therefore, allowing this advertisement to air will be detrimental to the SABC.”

Shibambo said the SABC encourages the DA to amend the advertisement and resubmit it for broadcast.

READ | DA’s burning flag announcement: Ramaphosa calls it treason, Zille ready for war

DA leader John Steenhuisen, speaking at a campaign event in Soweto on Thursday, disagreed with the SABC and highlighted comments by Ramaphosa and ministers on the announcement.

“So the ANC delegates at the SABC say that since the ANC president and the ANC minister don’t like our ad, they are not going to show it to South Africa.

“They are banning the ad because they know it tells the truth about the ANC.”

He said the district attorney’s attorneys have already been briefed to challenge the “censorship.”

“The last time I read the Constitution, it said something about freedom of speech.”

The DA released the ad on Sunday and was soon criticized by outraged South Africans, offended by the depiction of a burning South African flag.

The lit flag is intended to represent that “life will only get worse” if a coalition is formed between the ANC, EFF and Zuma’s “faction” after the May 29 election.

On Tuesday, President Cyril Ramaphosa said in a statement that the announcement was desperate, inciting and undermined the principles of democracy, while Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Zizi Kodwa said he was considering legal advice.

The DA, however, has not repented, and Steenhuisen said at a campaign event in east London on Tuesday that the ad was aimed at getting people talking.

“I’m very happy that people are seeing the ad. There are over three million views, which is what we want in a political ad. It’s meant to be uncomfortable,” he said, as reported by News24.

“Our economy is on fire. Our infrastructure is on fire. Our unemployment rate is on fire. Our child malnutrition rate is on fire. All of these things are setting the country back.”

READ | Helen Zille: Storm of Flags: Are You a Burner or a Builder?

DA federal council president Helen Zille also defended the ad and explained why a lit flag was used.

“We chose the flag as the clearest symbol of the dream we shared 30 years ago, at the dawn of democracy under President Nelson Mandela. The flames show how his vision has been devastated by 30 years of ANC rule. And we warn that under an ANC/EFF/MK/PA coalition, will be eliminated entirely,” he wrote.

“The 30 seconds end with our flag restored to its former glory with a call to action for all adult South Africans: ‘Rescue SA, vote DA!’ “

Icasa regulations allow a broadcaster to reject advertising from a party or independent candidate before it is broadcast.

You must then inform the interested party within two days and give them the opportunity to modify the advertisement.