The South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (SADTU), as a union with a vested interest in creating a learning nation, cannot allow the reckless advertising by a Pretoria-based Uropa nightclub to go unchallenged.  The club published posters offering discounts for alcohol for its Student Night Wednesday adding the punchline – NSFAS INGENILE – literally meaning NFSAS has landed.

Such advertising which preys upon students from poor backgrounds who receive NSFAS funding to buy food, learning materials and to take care of their living expenses is utterly reckless and irresponsible. Uropa nightclub cannot be encouraging NFSAS recipients to indulge in alcohol while many students are out there looking for space and funding. We cannot allow this club’s preoccupation with profits to be above accountability. Uropa’s conduct is immoral. 

We call upon NSFAS to put in place tighter controls on how and where its financial aid is used. It cannot be at nightclubs purchasing alcohol.

We also urge bodies such as the Advertising Standards Authority of South Africa and the Advertising Regulatory Board to look into how they can ensure that South Africans are subjected to adverting that is ethical and has a sense of responsibility to the consumers and society.

 

Issued by SADTU Secretariat