Social media warfare between South Africa’s political parties is hotting up in the wake of the 8 May national elections, each picking on one another for campaigning blunders big and small. But, arguably, the ANC’s spellchecker should really take the blame for this one.
A picture of a billboard in Port Elizabeth shared on Twitter on Monday shows a pretty noticeable spelling error.
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While it’s supposed to read “Let’s grow South Africa together” — a common catchphrase used by the ANC and President Cyril Ramaphosa — the billboard reads “Let’s grow South Africa togher”.
Two whole letters. Missing.
The social network, unsurprisingly, laid into the error. DA ward councillor Renaldo Gouws was among the first to throw stones.
Many of these have popped up around Nelson Mandela Bay today. Needless to say, I didn’t expect anything more from the ANC. Well done @CyrilRamaphosa pic.twitter.com/3IN5PwQYiZ
— Renaldo Gouws
(@RenaldoGouws) April 15, 2019
From wrong spelling in cakes, billboards and everything else… I want to meet this ANC tenderpreneur.
— Unathi Kwaza #ZACP (@Unathi_Kwaza) April 16, 2019
No wonder this country is in the state it is. The ANC cannot even get the spelling correct on a massive billboard (“togher”
) pic.twitter.com/kJ3LVb4QEq — Dr Dirk Donkerbal (@dirkdup69) April 16, 2019
So there’s people who think and Believe that the ANC can govern SA country but still yet they can’t a billboard correct to communicate their msg
Same whatsaap group with Zanu Pf @matigary @daddyhope @Mavhure @energymutodi @nickmangwana pic.twitter.com/0cK85cT8r1
— Let’s Build Zimbabwe A Marijeni (@DrAbicia) April 16, 2019
According to Gouws, this isn’t the only billboard in the Port Elizabeth area with the error.
At least “Togher” is an actual place — a suburb of the Irish city of Cork, one eagle-eyed Twitter user noted.
Before jumping to conclusions regarding the incompetency of @MYANC because of a spelling mistake on a billboard, it should be noted that this billboard was placed in the Cork city suburb of Togher.
Asking the people of Ireland to help us build SA is maybe not such a bad idea… pic.twitter.com/UFmoHzM7Hy
— MJ DU PREEZ (@DOKTRINE) April 16, 2019
Granted, the ANC isn’t the only party to experience as billboard faux pas during this campaigning season. The DA came under fire for its Life Esidimeni billboard in January on which stated “The ANC is Killing Us”.
The EFF’s billboards in March were also vandalised in Soweto. It blamed the ANC, but the latter denied the claims.
It’s not clear if the ANC plans to leave these billboards as is, or rectify the error. The party has yet to issue a statement. Either way, it has little over two weeks to make that decision, and that should be more than enough time to find a dictionary.
Feature image: screenshot, @RenaldoGouws via Twitter
