Coca Cola insults suffering Africans
- Speak your mind
- Published Date
- Waldo
- Hits: 785
Dear Editor,
Allow me to express my views and bring to the attention of the public my disgust with the recent musical, electronic advert, titled: “I Love You Africa” belonging to Coca-Cola Company, which frequently appears on Namibian television stations.
While I do not have a problem with the advertising in general, I have reservations about specific parts on this specific advert. The last part of the said advert, which is in a form of a song, says: “While the rest of the world is busy worrying about the future, one billion Africans are busy enjoying a Coke.”
The impression I get is that, one billion Africans do not mind about the future rather than Coke only. Is it because they cannot think or others have to do things for them?
As a person who drinks Coke, I believe this utterance insults the intelligence of “one billion Africans” that they are not serious, visionless and dependent on “the rest of the world” to do things for them. Is this a fair judgement, Coca-Cola?
In the Namibian context, one would be traumatised that this soft drink, multinational corporation was recently reported to have a problem negotiating with its workers. The Namibia Beverages employees have been threatening to go on a nationwide strike because their employer is unable to negotiate a living wage.
About 380 workers went on strike after wage negotiations with the company reached deadlock.
It is reported that the talks failed after the company refused to offer category one employees a N$1745 per month increase on their basic salaries, which would have raised their salaries to N$3 500 a month.
The said employees currently earn N$1755 a month. The company was prepared to increase their salaries by N$275 per month. That tells me that the workers do not have any benefits like medical, housing or transport and insurance despite working for an international, business giant.
I, therefore, urge Coca-Cola to use its billions it makes from Africa and Africans. I also want to advise Namibian state-owned and private television stations to ensure that the adverts they play do not infringe [upon] the rights of citizens. The concerned Coca-Cola advert needs to be unconditionally overhauled on that specific part I refer to.
Steven Mvula
The Coca-Cola Advert link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDZqtW0WoDc
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