Pretoria – President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday condemned “in the strongest terms” a Democratic Alliance (DA) election advertisement, which depicts the burning of the national flag.
The President said he believed this depiction was “desperate and inciteful and undermines the principles of democracy and unity”.
The offensive DA advert was launched amid the national celebration of 30 Years of Freedom and the preservation of tolerance and peace in the build-up to the 29 May national and provincial elections.
President Ramaphosa said: “All South Africans should deplore this abuse of our national flag for party political purposes.
“Our flag is a symbol of identity, integrity, and unity that we fly with a pride and consciousness that transcends party political interests.
“Our flag holds profound significance for the nation as it represents the hard-won freedoms and peace achieved through historical struggles against injustice.
“As government, we firmly defend the right to freedom of expression, with the expectation that this right be exercised with respect for all people and that it does not incite social upheaval or violence.
“To manipulate or exploit national symbols for personal or partisan gain is disrespectful and also undermines the essence of democracy and civic responsibility.
“It is our shared responsibility to ensure that our elections are free, fair, and dignified.”
Vincent Magwenya, the spokesperson to President Ramaphosa, added: “The President calls on all political parties and South Africans to uphold the dignity of all national symbols and to conduct themselves in ways that foster unity and progress for all”.
