Sameera Casmod | sameerac@radioislam.co.za
11 May 2024 | 16:43 SAST
2-minute read

While it might evoke moral outrage, there is no legal basis for prosecuting the burning of a flag in South African law.

The DA’s recent controversial TV advertisement implies that a potential coalition government between the ANC, EFF and MKP will have negative consequences (symbolised by the burning South African flag), but if voters elect the DA as the governing party, the flag and, by association, South Africa, will remain intact.

It has drawn mixed reactions from various quarters of South African society, with some people labeling it as a bold statement against potential political coalitions, while others, including President Ramaphosa, have condemned it as an act bordering on treason.

President Ramaphosa has characterised the advertisement as desperate and contrary to the hard-won principles of democracy.

Professor Vasti Roodt, a political analyst and associate professor in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Stellenbosch, told Radio Islam International that the political strategy of the advertisement can be viewed from two different perspectives.

“There is a saying in public relations, “If you’re explaining, you’re losing”, and at the moment the DA is in a position where they have to explain why they have made this advert…and in that sense, one might think that it’s bad strategy…[On the other hand, there] is another saying in public relations, ”There’s no such thing as bad publicity”. What is also true is that lots of people are now watching the ad—people who would never would have watched it otherwise. So, in that way, it may be, whether intended or not, it may have been a good strategy on the DA’s side, whether the content of the advert is the kind of thing that they should have put out there—that is yet a different question,” Professor Roodt said.

Critics have questioned the timing of the advertisement, suggesting that it reflects a sense of desperation on the part of the DA, especially considering the proximity to upcoming elections.

Professor Roodt said that the advertisement risks alienating voters and undermining the sanctity of national symbols like the flag. However, she pointed out that fear-based campaigning is not uncommon in politics and may resonate with certain segments of the electorate.

The outcome of the May 29 election will reveal the effectiveness of the DA’s advertisement and campaign strategy in convincing voters to elect them to power, Professor Roodt said.

Listen to the full interview on Sabaahul Muslim with Moulana Sulaimaan Ravat here.