By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) has ordered the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) to resume flighting a controversial Democratic Alliance (DA) election ad that depicts the burning of the South African flag.
The public broadcaster said that the advert encourages damage to treasured national symbols.
It then informed the Icasa of its decision to reject the DA’s political advert.
In response, Icasa’s complaints and compliance committee found that the SABC’s refusal to air the ad had “no legal basis” under the Electronic Communications Act or the regulations dealing with political advertising.
It recommended that the SABC be fined R500 000 for banning the ad from its public service television channels due to “prejudice caused to the DA”.
Icasa said it approved the recommendations of the complaints and compliance committee at a meeting on Friday.
The committee recommended that Icasa:
- Direct the SABC to cease its conduct of refusing to broadcast the DA’s political advertisement.
- Direct the SABC to fulfil its obligations under the law and air the DA’s advertisement.
The SABC’s decision was influenced by the outcry from South Africans condemning the advert, which has been widely circulated on various social media platforms.
Citizens called for the DA to be charged for its advert. However, DA leader John Steenhuisen said they were not moved by the outraged reaction.
Steenhuisen alleged that the SABC’s decision was fuelled by what he described as “cadre deployment” within the broadcaster.
He defended the advert, stating that it was sending a message that the country’s state was deteriorating.
President Cyril Ramaphosa labelled the ad “treasonous” and “despicable” despite it not being illegal to burn the flag in South Africa as a form of protest.