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Burning of South African flag in advert sparks anger
A campaign advert by the Democratic Alliance (DA) has sparked outrage among some South Africans.
The advert captured in the 33-second video demonstrated the burning of the South African flag as an allegory to depict a “burning country” under the ruling African National Congress (ANC) government and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF).
“Life will only get worse" under the African National Congress (ANC), which has been in power since 1994,” a voice under the video said as the flag went up in flames. The flag is then restored with a message from the speaker that urges citizens to vote for the DA.
The advert has since generated massive discourse on various social media platforms with many expressing displeasure about the burning of the flag. For many, the message could have been spread without the burning of the flag.
The party has defended itself, indicating that the ad aims to draw voters’ attention to the fact that even though South Africa is on the verge of political change. “There are two options available to voters regarding what that change will look like,” First deputy chairperson of the DA Federal Council Ashor Sarupen told Daily Mavericks.
“It is not irresponsible to warn voters that the path to destruction lies in a government that is dominated by the ideas of MK and the EFF. They are the actual threat to social cohesion and unity – they scapegoat South Africans based on race with very little blowback from the press. We are trying to squeeze undecided voters who want to protect, defend, and rescue South Africa,” Sarupen further stated.
"Our beautiful flag burning to ashes represents the future that the DA does not want to see. A future where our flag burns is the future we must avoid at all costs, by defeating the ANC/EFF Doomsday Coalition,” Flagbearer John Steenhuisen also indicated in a speech.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has condemned the ad, describing it as unacceptable and treasonous.
“The burning of the National Flag in a political advertisement is treasonous. The National Flag is a sacred symbol of our unity and existence as a nation and to burn it is despicable.
Any organisation that commits such an act, especially in the name of political expediency, is an organisation that seeks to destroy our country, that seeks to destroy our country’s unity and collective identity. People died for the National Flag. South Africans rally every day around the National Flag,” he said in a statement on X.
Here are some of the tweets on the X platform.
Meanwhile, others have described the attacks and criticisms as unnecessary. According to them, it was just used as a depiction of what could happen to the country because of choices rather than the literal implication.
