South African President Cyril Ramaphosa condemned in a statement an official campaign video clip by the leading opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) party showing the burning of the country's national flag and called it an act of treason.
"The burning of the National Flag in a political advertisement is treasonous," he stated. "Any organization that commits such an act, especially in the name of political expediency, is an organization that seeks to destroy our country, that seeks to destroy our country’s unity and collective identity."
The president added that the national flag is a "sacred symbol of our unity and existence as a nation," and it is "despicable and cannot be accepted" to burn it.
"People died for the National Flag. South Africans rally every day around the National Flag," Ramaphosa explained.
In the DA's half-minute video, a voiceover against a burning flag broadcasts that the ruling ANC will allegedly fail to win a majority in this year's elections for the first time in 30 years but will "do anything to stay in power," including a coalition with the Economic Freedom Fighters and former President Jacob Zuma's Umkhonto weSizwe.
The Democratic Alliance concluded that "under this coalition of corruption, life will only get worse."
In the last election five years ago, the DA received the second-largest share of the vote.
South Africa's 2024 national and provincial elections are set for May 29.
According to a recent poll by Ipsos, 40.2% of voters are prepared to vote for the ANC. The Democratic Alliance is in second place with 21.9%. They are followed by the Economic Freedom Fighters with 11.5% and Umkhonto weSizwe with 8.4%.