* This story has been updated with the SABC's response.
Johannesburg - The SABC has banned the DA’s second Ayisafani advert with immediate effect, party leader Helen Zille announced in Alexandra township in Johannesburg earlier on Wednesday.
“They banned our first one, and we did a second one all about our offer on jobs and the economy and they have banned that one too. So all of their last excuses fall away,” she told journalists and supporters.
“They have banned a positive advertisement that is setting out the DA’s commitment on jobs and the growing economy and that is complete disgraceful censorship.”
However, SABC spokesman, Kaizer Kganyago, rejected the DA’s claim that the public broadcaster had banned the advert saying it was “completely not true”.
“Maybe it’s their way of electioneering and bringing attention towards themselves,” Kganyago said.
“They have bought space through a media buyer, but it is still being considered to air,” he said.
“It’s not an ‘election’ ad – it’s a commercial ad, which requires five working days to consider and put it on air. We will put it on air when that time expires. They are just trying to electioneer.”
Earlier Zille claimed that the SABC had said the apparent reason for the ban were statements in the Ayisafani-2 video in which the DA says “they tried to silence us”.
Zille said the party would announce the steps it would take at a press conference later on Wednesday in order to stop “abuse of power and ensure a free and fair election”.
“Because unless the DA can get its message across this cannot be a free and fair election,” she said.
The party kicked off campaign activities in Alexandra on Wednesday morning with a mini-rally outside a dilapidated women’s hostel.
Zille sang with about a hundred supporters in the area, which has been a secure ANC stronghold, telling them there was a strong possibility the governing party could be pushed below 50 percent in Gauteng.
Political Bureau