Tshwane ad 'not on'

2005-05-04 17:22

Johannesburg - The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has ordered Tshwane metropolitan council to withdraw an advertisement referring to Pretoria as "City of Tshwane".

This follows an objection by Pretoria Civil Action (PCA) who are lobbying for the retention of the name Pretoria for the capital while the council waits for approval from the SA Geographical Names Council (SAGNC) for a change to Tshwane.

"This ruling has proven the PCA's argument right that the advertising campaign is misleading and therefore has to be withdrawn with immediate effect," said a PCA statement.

The PCA said the name Tshwane did not exist in the official database of the SAGNC, that only the names council had the authority to change the name and that government spokesman Joel Netshitenzhe had said the government recognised only the name Pretoria for the capital.

Use of any other name was misleading, the PCA said.

Paying for misleading advertising

PCA member Kallie Kriel said the ruling was welcomed and reinforced the group's point of view that the council had acted in a "misleading manner" and that it was unfair to expect ratepayers to pay for misleading advertising.

It said that R24m had been budgeted for the campaign and it would look into whether officials could be held personally responsible for the advertising costs in terms of the Municipal Finance Management Act.

William Baloyi, spokesperson for the executive mayor and council, said: "We haven't received the verdict of the ASA, but once we will receive it we will study what it says and then respond."

The advertisement was flighted on SABC2 on March 27 and featured landmarks found in the city and surrounding areas and towards the end of the commercial a voice-over stated: "City of Tshwane, Africa's leading capital city".

- SAPA