Tshwane ads upset Pta group

2005-03-30 13:34

Pretoria - Campaigners favouring the name Pretoria for the city on Wednesday complained to the Advertising Standards Authority of SA (Asasa) about the Tshwane metro council marketing "City Tshwane" as South Africa's capital.

It was lodged by the Pretoria Civil Action (PCA), comprising representatives of the trade union Solidarity, the Gauteng North Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Federation of Afrikaans Cultural Organisations (FAK) and others, said PCA spokesperson Kallie Kriel.

"This complaint is based on Asasa's Code of Practice which stipulates that all advertising should be factually substantiable and not misleading in any way.

"The PCA regards the advertising campaign of the Tshwane Metro Council to be misleading and inaccurate," he said in a statement.

Kriel said the Metro Council was not in a position to alter the name of the capital to Tshwane.

"Such a change first has to be approved by the South African Geographical Names Council and cabinet, before a new name may be marketed."

He said the use of the name Pretoria for the capital of South Africa and the name Tshwane for the Metro Council was a win-win solution, giving recognition to all groups.

"By substituting the name of Pretoria as capital with the name Tshwane, this win-win solution will now be forfeited," he said.

- SAPA