RISE Mzansi speaks out against gambling ads at Home Affairs offices
Free Wi-Fi sponsored by Boza Betting raises red flags as South African political party demands urgent action against gambling promotions at public institutions.
South Africa.- A storm is brewing over Edenvale’s Home Affairs office, and it’s not the long queues or system glitches. Last week, visitors to the branch were met with free Wi-Fi, but the catch?
It was branded by online betting giant Betway under its Boza Betting arm, sparking outrage from civil society and political quarters alike.
Leading the charge is RISE Mzansi, the rising political force shaking up Parliament with its unapologetic stance on ethical governance.
The party is now taking its concerns directly to the Minister of Home Affairs, demanding an end to what it calls “inappropriate” gambling promotions in state-run service centres.
In an interview with Cape Talk’s Lester Kiewit, Makashule Gana, member of Parliament and national organiser for RISE Mzansi, told the radio station: “There is 24-hour-a-day advertising of gambling everywhere you turn.”
He said he was voicing his party’s firm opposition to the infiltration of gambling promotions into public spaces.
While free internet may seem like a benevolent offering, Gana said the underlying message was that it impacted vulnerable citizens trying to access essential services.
“If Betway wants to sponsor Wi-Fi, they must do it unbranded,” he said firmly.
“What would this country say if this Wi-Fi was sponsored by cigarettes or alcohol?”
The comparison underscored RISE Mzansi’s view that gambling should not be glamorised, particularly not at government offices.
The move to engage the Home Affairs Minister is part of a broader campaign by the party to rein in what it sees as the spread of gaming culture in South Africa.
As the debate over ethical advertising intensifies, RISE Mzansi’s latest stand might just force the government to rethink its policies around sponsorship deals around public services.
