Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

Banned in South Africa: Five of the most offensive adverts ever broadcast in Mzansi [video]

19/12/2018

While you're all gathered around the table for your Christmas dinner this year, we'd wager some good money that at least one middle-aged relative is going chime in with the phrase everybody gets so offended these days , blaming millennials for getting things banned in South Africa.

On the dinner-table-conversation bingo card, this one is a cert: Right up there with compliments about the gravy and jokes about one portly uncle being the first to dip in for seconds. There may be a bit more fuel added to this fire next week though, following the recent decision to pull a Chicken Licken advert from the air.

The Big John campaign flipped the script on colonialism, depicting a black South African rocking up in 17th-century Europe and declaring the land his. The Advertising Regulatory Board (ARB) said that the clip trivialised centuries of suffering and was therefore removed from all broadcasts.

However, pulling offensive adverts from screens is nothing new in this country. For decades, certain brands have pushed the envelope as far as they can, often profiting from the notoriety of the public outcry. We've compiled a list of our favourite commercials that have been banned in South Africa, ranging from the hilarious to the jaw-dropping.

Banned in South Africa our most offensive adverts: Malema gets stitched up by Nando's

Where else could we start with a banned in South Africa list than with a Nando's commercial? The chicken specialists went in hard, back in 2009. They lampooned then-ANC Youth League Julius Malema with a brilliant bit of puppeteering. However, some viewers found the depiction a little too close-to-the-bone.

The mocking of Malema's hand-actions, mannerisms and interpretation of basic maths lead to a fair few complaints some from the ANC finding their way to the ARB. The commercial was subsequently banned after its initial airing.

Pappa wag vir jou (Daddy is waiting for you)

This is perhaps one we can all agree is a bit too far. In fact, it was even used in Shrien Dewani's murder case by the defence, who argued that their client would face ultra-violent treatment if he was sent to a South African prison.

Scare tactics were used by the Drive Dry campaign to urge males in particular to avoid drink-driving. It starts like a dating commercial with a couple of men telling the camera what they want from a date.

It soon becomes obvious that these men are prisoners waiting for new inmates in a holding cell. It ends with a creepy toothless gangster saying: Pappa wag vir jou (Daddy is waiting for you). The advert did not survive long before it was replaced by an updated version.

DA and EFF stifled by political correctness Both the DA and the EFF fell foul of the SABC's commercial policy in 2014. With both parties taking shots at the ANC and making particular reference to the Marikana tragedy that claimed dozens of lives the state broadcaster rapped both opposition outfits for trying to incite violence .

Of course, this flimsy excuse did not hold up well with many South Africans. In the DA's clip, we can see a younger Mmusi Maimane rallying the electorate during his time as the Gauteng Premier nomination: Is there anything so wrong with this?

Likewise, Julius Malema back in the days when he used to wear a suit instead of red overalls was left feeling extremely hard done by when this ad was pulled. By Juju's recent standards, this campaign was sugary sweet:

SABC Perspectives advert

It's hard to keep track of what the SABC do and don't find offensive. It's been more than a decade since their perspectives advert got a run-out, and it properly rattled TV audiences across Mzansi. Which is strange, considering that it's not exactly a shocking idea.

The what if white people were treated like black people and vice versa angle isn't original, but there was something particularly jarring for some South Africans here.

The ad follows a day in the life of a white citizen who lives in a township, is frowned-upon by rich black people and culminates with him being falsely accused of a crime because all white people look the same . Judge for yourselves on this one, but we're not so sure this should have been banned in South Africa

Nando's dig up the dictators

Starting with a Nando's, ending with a Nando's. We once did a list on their 15 best adverts, and that's because their viral campaigns completely dominate the discourse. They've tackled everything from xenophobia to state capture, but we believe they hit their offensive peak back in 2012.

The video shows Robert Mugabe the former authoritarian leader of Zimbabwe preparing a dinner party for all of his dictator friends. Colonel Gaddafi, Sadaam Hussain and yes, PW bloody Botha are all catered for.

We then see Mugabe reminiscing about his fond memories of history's greatest monsters. We see him engage in a water gun fight with Gaddafi, and push Botha on the swings while he waves an old apartheid flag. As darkly-brilliant as this was, it crossed the line for the censors:

Tags: comedyNandosnandos adSouth Africa
LINK: https://www.thesouthafrican.com/adverts-banned-in-south-africa-video/...
See more stories from thesouthafrican

Most recent headlines

04/09/2025

Monumental Sports & Entertainment and Dalet Win Prestigious 2025 NAB Show Project of the Year Award

Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE), in collaboration with Dalet, has been a...

01/05/2025

Fired CPB Board Members Sue Trump Administration

WASHINGTON The Corporation for Public Broadcasting has filed a lawsuit to stop the Trump administration from firing three of its board members, claiming the pre...

01/05/2025

Riedel Opens Hong Kong Office

HONG KONG Riedel Communications today said it has opened a new office in Hong Kong, enhancing its presence in the Asia-Pacific region....

01/05/2025

NextGen TV: Sinclair Applauds New ATSC 3.0 D2M Phones

MUMBAI, India & BALTIMORE In a development that could advance efforts to bring NextGen TV to cellphones, FreeStream Technologies, Lava International and HMD hav...

01/05/2025

Screen Australia empowers 100+ distinctive Australian narratives

01 05 2025 - Media release Screen Australia empowers 100 distinctive Australian narratives All The Boys Are Here writer/director Goran Stolevski and It s All...

01/05/2025

How PFX Delivered 750 VFX Shots in Just Four Months For Anthony Hopkins Thriller Locked

How PFX Delivered 750 VFX Shots in Just Four Months For Anthony Hopkins Thriller...

01/05/2025

Careline's New Wave Makeup Commercial Shot With URSA Cine 12K LF

Careline's New Wave Makeup Commercial Shot With URSA Cine 12K LF Brie Clayton May 1, 2025 0 Comments CAD Studios relies on large format, full fram...

01/05/2025

RT Investigates reveals details of Christian Brothers who managed congregation's assets are now convicted jailed child sexual abusers

RT Investigates reveals details of Christian Brothers who were senior leaders a...

01/05/2025

RT Statement Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) project

RT Statement The Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) project is one of the projects that was funded from the proceeds of RT 's land sale in 2017, the init...

01/05/2025

RT is Supporting 28 Arts and Cultural Events all over Ireland this May

Watch our promo: RT Supporting the Arts | What's on This May, RT is delighted to support Bealtaine Festival, Fastnet Film Festival, and Dublin Dance Fest...

01/05/2025

Wandercraft Begins Clinical Trials for Physical AI-Powered Personal Exoskeleton

For Nicolas Simon, advancing the field of robotics is a personal mission that could change his siblings' lives. Two-thirds of Simon's family members us...

30/04/2025

Inside the Archives: Preserving and Saving At-Risk Films Takes a Village

Film elements held at the Deluxe warehouse in March of 2015. Photo by Luis Silva...

30/04/2025

Spotify and EA SPORTS Team Up To Pilot a New Kind of Audio Experience

EA SPORTS FC 25 fans in Australia and Saudi Arabia, get ready to immerse yourselves in the beautiful game like never before. Spotify is excited to announce a n...

30/04/2025

Tucker Wetmore Celebrates His Debut Album Release With an Intimate Performance for Fans

The past year has been nothing short of a whirlwind for Tucker Wetmore. After th...

30/04/2025

Spotify Celebrates Mexico's Booming Podcast Scene With First-Ever Podcast Awards

Mexico's love for podcasts is no longer a trend-it's a lifestyle. With m...

30/04/2025

Slam poet Huda the Goddess wins 2025 Les Murray Award

Slam poet Huda the Goddess wins 2025 Les Murray Award 30 April, 2025 Media releases Australia for UNHCR and SBS are proud to announce that Huda Fadlelmawla...

30/04/2025

SBS, NITV and NIDA partner to empower the next generation of screen creatives

SBS, NITV and NIDA partner to empower the next generation of screen creatives 30 April, 2025 Media releases SBS, National Indigenous Television (NITV) and ...

30/04/2025

Why Now is the Perfect Time to Join HPA

By Joyce JC Cataldo The media and entertainment industry is evolving faster than ever. Technology is shifting the way we create, distribute, and experience c...

30/04/2025

On-Demand Imagery: Enhancing Monitoring and Analysis with Advanced Streaming Platforms

An image of Valencia, Spain, in the OneAtlas Living Library...

30/04/2025

WPSD-TV Taps Bitcentral To Modernize Playout

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. WPSD-TV, the NBC affiliate in Paducah, Ky., has selected Bitcentral's Central Control playout system to upgrade the station's mast...

30/04/2025

Baris Zavaroglu Appointed CEO of Zero Density

AMSTERDAM Zero Density, a global provider of virtual studio productions and on-air graphics, has appointed Baris Zavaroglu as its new CEO. Zavaroglu succeeds Of...

30/04/2025

The Avit Group Elevates Audio-visual Experiences with Mar...

The Avit Group, a forward-thinking audio-visual technology company, is bringing over 50 years of combined experience in delivering audio-visual design and insta...

30/04/2025

NXTGENbps brings portable, sustainable battery solutions...

NXTGENbps will be showcasing its latest sustainable battery power solutions at this year's Media Production & Technology Show (MPTS), appearing alongside pa...

30/04/2025

Van Dyke Scores Hit with Hockey Comedy Shoresy Shot on Ze...

Van Dyke skates and operates on Shoresy | photo by Dave Ferguson Toronto-based Cinematographer Brett Van Dyke (Heartland, Jann, Carter) stepped into the rink...

30/04/2025

PlayBox Neo presents Next-Generation Smart Media Solution...

Leading provider of media playout solutions PlayBox Neo will exhibit a vast array of significant upgrades to its range of smart media innovations at CABSAT from...

30/04/2025

QuickLink StudioEdge Transforms Remote Contributions for...

ITV Studios is renowned for its award-winning productions, including the reality TV phenomenon I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here! Produced by Lifted Ente...

30/04/2025

UK Pavilion exhibitors continue to impact at CABSAT and S...

The UK's presence at this year's CABSAT brings together 20 innovative companies under the GREAT Britain and Northern Ireland banner. From advanced infra...

30/04/2025

Lightware Reinforces ESG Commitment with Participation in...

Lightware continues to strengthen its Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) initiatives by fostering diversity, inclusion, and community engagement within...

30/04/2025

LiveU to Demonstrate LiveU IQ in UK For The First Time at...

LiveU is demonstrating for the first time in the UK, its revolutionary technological breakthrough in IP-video transport, LiveU IQ (LIQ ) and bringing its expand...

30/04/2025

Calrec MPTS 2025 Preview

Stand: A40 Calrec has been putting sound in the picture for more than six decades and is still pushing the boundaries of audio broadcasting with a full range o...

30/04/2025

Buckinghamshire New University opens advanced virtual pro...

Buckinghamshire New University (BNU) has opened its new virtual production studio, designed and integrated by CJP Broadcast. The installation equips students wi...

30/04/2025

Collective Newsroom chooses nxtedition for seamless workf...

Independent news producer in India focuses on delivering stories nxtedition has supplied a complete newsroom system to Collective Newsroom, based in New Delhi,...

30/04/2025

FOR-A Showcases Next-Generation Broadcast Solutions at CA...

Connecting the present, building the future FOR-A, a cutting-edge video broadcast technology company backed by more than 50 years experience, will showcase it...

30/04/2025

DAD by NTP Technology Highlights Upcoming Expansion Optio...

DAD by NTP Technology reports a successful NAB Show in Las Vegas where the company focused on upcoming expansion options in development for its Thunder | Core a...

30/04/2025

CVP and Canon unveil 2025 Canon Stories in Motion Young F...

CVP and Canon UK & Ireland are proud to announce the winning projects from the third annual Stories in Motion Young Filmmakers Awards, which took place on the e...

30/04/2025

beIN scores world first with new beIN STREAM using Syname...

Leading video software provider, Synamedia, today announced that beIN MEDIA GROUP ( beIN'), one of the foremost global sports and entertainment broadcasters...

30/04/2025

The Canadian Premier League launches new digital experien...

The Canadian Premier League (CPL) today launched a new-look website and app, offering supporters of Canada's men's domestic professional soccer league a...

30/04/2025

FCC's Carr Says Regulator Wants to Empower Local Broadcasters'

WASHINGTON In a wide-ranging press conference, Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr had both good and bad news for broadcasters, stressing that ...

30/04/2025

Filipino Sports Streamer Leverages Quickplay Shorts for Video Prep

TORONTO Cignal TV is relying on Quickplay's Shorts tool for its recently launched Pilipinas Live Shorts service, available to millions of users of Pilipinas...

30/04/2025

TVB President and CEO Steve Lanzano to Retire

NEW YORK Steve Lanzano will retire as president and CEO of the Television Bureau of Advertising at year-end, the group said....

30/04/2025

Collective Newsroom Deploys Nxteditions Newsroom System

The news production tech provider nxtedition is reporting that it supplied a complete newsroom system to Collective Newsroom, an independent news producer based...

30/04/2025

IAB Double-Clicks on AI Efforts

NEW YORK As part of a major push to advance the role that artificial intelligence (AI) plays in the advertising industry, the Interactive Advertising Bureau has...

30/04/2025

SES Open Orbits Selected by Two National Carriers to Equip their Fleets with Truly Seamless Connectivity Services

Uzbekistan Airways is the latest airline to choose SES's network, while Thai...

30/04/2025

Loaded Uses Blackmagic Design for shroud Subathon Live Streams

Loaded Uses Blackmagic Design for shroud Subathon Live Streams Brie Clayton April 29, 2025 0 Comments Blackmagic Studio Cameras and Micro Studio Camer...

30/04/2025

Help shape the future of video creator tools with MIDiA

Help shape the future of video creator tools with MIDiA Brie Clayton April 29, 2025 0 Comments After a successful debut in 2024, MIDiA is calling once...

30/04/2025

Tania Len and Kelli O'Hara to be Honored at Boston Conservatory at Berklee's Commencement Ceremony

Tania Le n and Kelli O'Hara to be Honored at Boston Conservatory at Berklee&...

30/04/2025

Andr 3000 and Sara Bareilles to Receive Honorary Doctorates at Berklee College of Music 2025 Commencement

Andr 3000 and Sara Bareilles to Receive Honorary Doctorates at Berklee College ...

30/04/2025

New RT News Podcast Behind the Story Available Now

You've seen the headlines, now it's time to go Behind the Story RT News has today (Wednesday) launched a brand-new news podcast, Behind the Story, h...

30/04/2025

Re-imagined series of Bergerac set to return to U and U&DRAMA in 2026

Damien Molony will head back to Jersey for a second series of Bergerac, written by Toby Whithouse alongside Ashley Sanders, Emilie Robson and Faebian Averies D...

30/04/2025

Advancing multi-domain EW operations: Rohde & Schwarz unveils latest innovations at AOC Europe

Advancing multi-domain EW operations: Rohde & Schwarz unveils latest innovations...