Cash for organs is no joke
There is a cash-for-organs advertisement that is being used to promote a new horror movie - which has been met with condemnation
'Some things are worse than dying' - that's the movie tag line
The offending brochure- Prejudice and mob justice
- Muthi killing outrage
- Son held for muthi murder of mother
- 2nd inyanga up for muthi killing
- Inyanga held over girl's slaying
- Man bankrupted by Mafia to sell his own body parts via email
- Inyanga held for possessing body parts
- Taximan 'steals' boy for muthi
- Mob sets home of freed 'muthi' man on fire
The advert includes a website and pamphlets distributed in Johannesburg advertising “Dr Uba’s Clinic”, which offers money in exchange for organs and body parts.
"This is extremely poor taste and trivialises a serious and under-reported problem," said Democratic Alliance health spokesman Jack Bloom.
He noted that recently, allegations were made by a private investigator, Trevor Ackerman, that an organ harvesting syndicate is operating on the East Rand that strips dead bodies of organs to be sold.
And in February last year, Deputy Provincial Police Commissioner William Mpembe said that “muti murders, particularly those involving young children, seem to be on the rise in the Tshwane areas including Soshanguve, Garankuwa and Rietgat".
"The public outcry over this advertisement will hopefully lead to more awareness and a crackdown on the illegal human muti trade," Bloom noted.
- The Ogilvy advertising agency apologised “unreservedly” on Friday.
The campaign - for a South African horror movie - included a pamphlet saying “Dr Uba pays the best prices for all your body parts and organs... We pay keen cash for eyes (up to R5000 in cash), breast (up to R1800), tongue (up to R2500 in cash!).
The website showed pictures of a semi-naked woman about to go into surgery.
Spokesman Rich Hlatshwayo said in a statement that creative agency, 1984, a subsidiary of Ogilvy, produced the campaign on behalf of Indigenous Film Distribution to promote the movie 'Night Drive'.
“While the motivation behind this campaign was honourable, 1984 acknowledges that this was in bad taste and apologises unreservedly,” he said.
MD for Ogilvy in Johannesburg, Julian Ribeiro, said the company 1984 consists of “three young talents who joined Ogilvy last year”. He added: “They had an existing relationship with Indigenous Film Distribution and the project for 'Night Drive' was ongoing”.
Ribeiro said Ogilvy was “very upset” about the campaign and disciplinary action would be taken “internally”.
He said further: “1984 did seek legal counsel [before the campaign was launched] and were told to make sure that the details on the pamphlet and the website were fictitious... that the phone number would not work and that no harm would be brought to anyone”.
“No one ever expected this kind of response. Only 800 leaflets were handed out at robots and the project had a low budget.”
It is not clear where the movie will be shown on circuit.
losgat
jack bloom wa tsenwa, ba mo loile, der is no bad taste there, its plain joke and those who called the number shud b ashamed coz it shows they were interested, wat hapnd 2 gud old fun, i like da 4 kipn anc in line but ds time they lost it. blady agentsReport Abuse
Msinder
Now I c why these ppl should go back to their countries, Ag man there r calling themselves Doctors and yet they are killing our ppl.Report Abuse
khanza
Ke re ba sa re feditse MaNigeria, this must be taken to consideration by our goverment, this ppl mut really go back to their real countries whre they belong. if things will continue like this, we will always lock ourselves and our children in our houses and that is not right, gvmnt must do something really, this is getting worse.Report Abuse
EmptyTin
iF i make my comments longer Sowetan blocks them.any way any of you who wants to see how this webpage looked like ysdy and this morning because they have just changed it drop me your email addy will forward.Report Abuse
Tebs
What kind os shittoooo is this now!!! Dr What!!! Niger pleaso, cant you just leave us alone now. Evereyday niger doctors, niger Prince Okah with 8 cellphones,niger drug lab in Midrand, now Dr Uba-pody parts for sale...aaghhh voetsek mannnnnnReport Abuse
Matodzi
In a country were there are "Muti" killings aplenty somebody made a spoof about selling human body parts? Clearly some people have their wires crossed in the name of being creative....Report Abuse