/ 30 March 1999

THABO NOT THE TICKET

REPRESENTATIVES of the parties involved in the African National Congress’s advertising campaign will hold an emergency meeting this week with Metrorail CEO Zandile Jakavula after Metrorail declined an initial request to print the image of Deputy President Thabo Mbeki on the back of 3,5-million train tickets. The announcement of the major advertising coup for the coming elections was to have taken place simultaneously with the launch last weekend of the ANC’s election manifesto. Opposition parties have condemned the idea and threatened legal action if the plan goes ahead. If Metrorail changes its mind, the tickets will go on sale in all metropolitan areas of the country two weeks prior to the June 2 election.