DA taken to court over burning flag ad

JOHANNESBURG - The Democratic Alliance (DA) is being taken to court over its controversial ‘burning flag’ advert by a convicted fraudster, Zuko Madikane.

The advert, which features a burning South African flag set tongues wagging when it first aired at the beginning of May.

The SABC has refused to air it.

Madikane has filed an urgent application in the High Court in Pretoria. He wants the advert banned across the board.

He made headlines last year when he was found guilty of swindling a Joburg restaurant owner out of tens of thousands of rands by pretending to be a lawyer.

In his papers, Madikane charges that the advertisement in question, in which DA leader John Steenhuisen talks about life “only getting worse” under a potential coalition between the African National Congress (ANC) and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and former president Jacob Zuma “constitutes and promotes hate speech and incites violence”.

He has insisted that “an ordinary citizen” might “associate it with black failure and violence” and that the advert is “treasonous”.

The DA, however, “unequivocally” denies Madikane’s allegations, standing firm that the ad “makes no mention whatsoever, nor does it carry any implication, of race” and that it takes aim only at the ANC, the EFF and Jacob Zuma.

READ: DA stands by burning flag ad, says it's designed as a wake-up call to the people of South Africa

The party labels it a “well-founded and protected political speech” and further highlights that the advert shows a digital depiction of the flag burning and then “rising from the ashes", insisting there is nothing treasonous about this.

It also argues the case is not urgent and has not been properly brought to the Equality Court, as it should have.

The matter’s set down for hearing in the High Court in Pretoria on Thursday.

In the meantime, when it comes to his criminal case, Madikane says he currently has an appeal pending.