Cambell, JPSA enter fiery billboard debate
It is something the ANC brought upon itself. The billboards are a factual statement.
The anonymity surrounding the e-toll billboards on highways in Johannesburg is over, with the Democratic Alliance admitting responsibility for the billboards.
Many public figures have since had their share of opinions on whether the billboards are a move to support motorists’ objections, or whether they are an opportunity for the DA to contribute to its 2014 election campaign.
DA spokesperson on Roads and Transport, Mr Neil Cambell, shed some light on the objective of the billboards.
He said, “It is something the ANC brought upon itself. The billboards are a factual statement. Our advertising people thought of it as a way to get reaction regarding the money spent on e-tolls. The idea was to first put up the billboards with no identification and then later the tactic was to put the DA logo on them.”
Mr Campbell added that the ANC threatened to take the matter to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), but he does not consider it an IEC problem.
“We do not believe this is an IEC matter because the billboards do not say anything about the elections. The billboard reads, ‘E-Tolls – proudly brought to you by ANC’, and that is absolutely factual and true. We are informing people of who to thank for the e-tolls,” he said.
The chairman of the Justice Project South Africa (JPSA), Mr Howard Dembovsky, said political parties never do anything unless it is to benefit themselves.
“Political parties don’t go out there doing kind things for people with no expectations of votes in return. As much as I cannot argue with a single word on those billboards, I think it would be unrealistic to expect the DA doesn’t expect to gain votes by having raised the billboards,” said Mr Dembovsky.
The controversial tolls are expected to be launched before the end of 2013.
