The Justice Project South Africa (JPSA) has “extended its sincere gratitude” to the South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral)‚ its spokesman Vusi Mona and its public relations company Meropa Communications for “discrediting themselves even further by reacting in such a childish‚ emotional and grossly uninformed manner”. This followed what the JPSA described as their “temper tantrum over the banning of yet another one of its e-tolling advertisements” by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) this week.Mona was widely quoted as suggesting the roads agency would ignore rulings by the ASA as it “is not bound in law to adhere to them”.JPSA chairperson Howard Dembovsky picked apart Mona’s “assertion that the ‘ASA is a self-regulatory body and has no absolute jurisdiction over the roads agency’ ”‚ by pointing out that “it is not true to say that it has no jurisdiction over advertising standards in South Africa”. “If this were indeed true‚ then the ‘Advertising Standards Authority’ may well be called the ‘Advertising Standards Association’ as Fiki Masilela of Meropa Communications allegedly chooses to call it‚” Dembovsky snidely offered.“Whether Sanral decides to ignore the ASA’s findings in the future or not is irrelevant‚ given the fact that broadcasters and advertising agencies are unlikely to follow suit.“Sanral should also bear in mind that its advertising campaigns are funded by citizens of this country and therefore it is extremely disrespectful of them‚ as a state-owned corporation‚ to assert that they will continue to use citizens’ money to mislead the public.”The decision of the ASA followed a complaint made to itr about a radio advert broadcast in June that claimed: “Government has listened to you and responded by giving you a new e-toll dispensation. Among other things‚ we’ve reduced the rate to 30 cents per kilometre for light motor vehicles and slashed the monthly cap by 50%. If you have outstanding e-toll fees dating back to December 2013‚ you will receive a 60% discount and 6 months to pay. We thank all who have paid their dues. You have helped in moving South Africa forward.”According to the ASA ruling‚ the “complainant submitted that the commercial is misleading as it suggests that the new dispensation and associated discounts is available to motorists”.“However‚ the 60% discount is not yet active and people would be paying more than they believe they are liable for‚” the ruling read.The respondent‚ the ASA said‚ agreed that they were not yet available and “can only effect the changes mentioned in the commercial once the minister of transport officially approves them and they are published in the government gazette”.“The omission of this vital information is likely to create a misleading expectation‚ with listeners believing that they are already entitled to the various savings‚ when in fact this is not yet the case‚” the ASA ruled‚ and ordered that the advert be withdrawn.Dembovsky said Mona’s ire at the finding was unfounded as “this is now the sixth time that the ASA has made an adverse finding against SANRAL’s advertising surrounding e-tolls”.“Mona and Sanral would be better advised to‚ instead of childishly reacting with ‘fury’ over such findings‚ consider being truthful in their advertising campaigns on e-tolls so that complaints may not be upheld‚ or for that matter‚ lodged with the ASA in the first place‚" he suggested."It is furthermore disingenuous at best of Sanral to ask whether the ASA is 'now unwittingly part of the campaign against e-tolls' and state that it has 'only reacted to e-toll ads and shows no interest in the rest of the expanded advertising campaign'‚ given the fact that the ASA does not lodge complaints with itself but reacts to complaints lodged by members of the public."..