SACP recalls boycott

Banned ad. Picture: YouTube

Banned ad. Picture: YouTube

Published Nov 30, 2012

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Johannesburg - The SA Communist Party in KwaZulu-Natal has withdrawn its call for the Fish and Chips Company to be boycotted over an advertisement depicting President Jacob Zuma and his family eating a take-away meal.

It said the management of the Fish and Chips Company requested to meet the SACP on Friday after the party called for the boycott.

Provincial secretary Themba Mthembu told the company the advert portrayed Zuma as a primitive, uneducated, and irresponsible man with a large family being fed by taxpayers.

“The management of the Fish and Chips Company conceded that the advert could have had unintended consequences, saying the situation was also compounded by the fact that the ANC will be holding its elective conference in two weeks time,” the SACP said.

Taste Holdings, which owns The Fish and Chips Company, voluntarily withdrew the advert on Wednesday.

“Mthembu welcomed the move to withdraw the advert, saying other companies or groups should learn from the Fish and Chips Company and refrain from insulting President Jacob Zuma,” the SACP said.

On Wednesday Mthembu said the advert was a sign of “blatant disrespect” for Zuma.

“This goes to show at what length some people can go to undermine the office of the president and black people in general,” he said at the time.

The SABC said on Tuesday it had decided not to flight the advert on Monday because it implied a presidential endorsement of the product.

Spokesman Kaizer Kganyago said the advert had also not been submitted to the SABC in time for it to examine its quality and other technical aspects.

Taste Holdings said the advert did not intend to portray the fish and chips as having a presidential endorsement, but was meant to convey the product as being good value for money.

The animated commercial begins with the words “Dinner time at Nkandla” appearing over a picture of a mansion.

Next, a woman seated at one end of an extremely long dining room table lined with children and several women, says in isiZulu: “Oh Zuzulicious, we're having fish and chips from Shabba today.”

He responds: “Eat up honey bunch, there is a lot of good food here. It's from the Fish and Chip Company. There are many of you in this house. At only R25 even (Finance Minister ) Pravin (Gordhan ) will approve.” - Sapa

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