PORT ELIZABETH - ANC RECTIFIES EMBARRASSING "LETS GROW SOUTH AFRICA TOGHER" BILLBOARD

The African National Congress has fixed a billboard in Port Elizabeth which contained an embarrassing spelling error.

News24 reported on Tuesday that the billboard, showing President Cyril Ramaphosa's smiling face, urged citizens to: "Let's grow South Africa togher." The last word should have read "together".

People on social media poked fun at the error, with some noting the similarity with the spelling of an Irish suburb in the city of Cork.

On Wednesday, "Dr D" - a communications strategist and ANC supporter - posted on Twitter that: "The much talked about billboard is now fixed. ANC delivers!"

A man can be seen on a ladder with the word "together" now spelled correctly.

Earlier on Tuesday, Nelson Mandela Bay Mayor Mongameli Bobani added his two cents on the gaffe, tweeting in response to a post by AlgoaFM that they "wanna fix #NMBCoalition but can't even fix the spelling. #HolaMatamela".

The ANC itself described the spelling error as mere "human error" on the part of one of its service providers, and "very minor".

The error would not "derail" the party and the immediate removal of the billboard would "kill the campaign of the opposition", the party's regional task team said on Tuesday.

This is not the first time the governing party has had mishaps with public spelling.

In 2018, the ANC had trouble with their caterers for its 108th birthday celebration, with the spelling and presentation of its celebratory cakes leaving much to be desired.

The blunder comes three weeks before South Africans head to the polls on May 8.

via - NEWS24