DA stands by burning flag ad, says it's 'designed as a wake-up call' to the people of SA
With over three million views in 36 hours, John Steenhuisen has lauded the controversial ad as the most successful political advert in the country’s democratic history.
A screengrab of the DA's election advert depicting a burning SA flag. Picture: @Our_DA/X
CAPE TOWN - The Democratic Alliance (DA) is standing by its burning flag analogy in a television advert intended to depict South Africa’s future under an ANC-EFF coalition government.
Party leader John Steenhuisen on Tuesday addressed a rally in East London, explaining the television advert which has sparked outrage over the manner in which the South African flag has been used.
With over three million views in 36 hours, Steenhuisen has lauded the controversial ad as the most successful political advert in the country’s democratic history.
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Steenhuisen said that the South African dream would die if voters allowed a so-called doomsday partnership of the African National Congress (ANC) and Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and possibly even the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) to take power.
He said that if these parties banded together, along with what he termed "sell-out parties" like the Patriotic Alliance (PA), South Africa would burn and die just as the flag is depicted in its latest advert.
"This advertisement was designed as a wake-up call to the people of South Africa. It's directed at voters who may be complacent about the existential threat posed by an ANC/EFF doomsday coalition."
Steenhuisen told supporters that his party can rescue the province with the country's highest unemployment rate.
"The doomsday coalition will not only burn our flag to ashes, they will burn our Constitution to ashes, they will burn the South African rand to ashes, they will burn private property rights to ashes. They will burn job creation to ashes."
Steenhuisen said the advert did not only convey a doomsday message but also offered hope as depicted by the flag being restored to its full glory under a DA government at the very end.