FNB cancels its R20 million anti-crime initiative designed to encourage President Thabo Mbeki to make crime his priority

Updated: 30 Sep 2019

On 2 February 2007, First National bank cancelled its R 20 million anti-crime campaign. The bank had launched the campaign with the intention of encouraging then President Thabo Mbeki to make crime his priority. However, after a private meeting with the presidency, which had complained that the campaign was a form of incitement against Mbeki, the bank decided to cancel the campaign. In 2013, FNB created a deja vu moment when it launched the “U can help” campaign aimed at encouraging the public and politicians to work together to make South Africa a better country, only to delete some of the content after a backlash from the ANC. The ANC labeled the campaign treasonous, and after a meeting with the bank management, the campaign was then modified to pacify the government

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How we know this

01Staff Reporter ( 2007) FNB backs down over anti-crime campaign from The Mail & Guardian[online] Available at: https://mg.co.za [Accessed on 18 January 2013]
02The City Press From our archives – FNB does U-turn on anti-crime campaign[online] Available at: www.citypress.co.za [Accessed on 18 January 2012]

Last updated · 30 Sep 2019

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2013, January 30). FNB cancels its R20 million anti-crime initiative designed to encourage President Thabo Mbeki to make crime his priority. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0094729

South African History Online (2013) 'FNB cancels its R20 million anti-crime initiative designed to encourage President Thabo Mbeki to make crime his priority', South African History Online, 30 January. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0094729 (Accessed: 24 September 2026).

South African History Online, FNB cancels its R20 million anti-crime initiative designed to encourage President Thabo Mbeki to make crime his priority [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0094729, (accessed 24 September 2026).

"FNB cancels its R20 million anti-crime initiative designed to encourage President Thabo Mbeki to make crime his priority." South African History Online, 30 Jan. 2013, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0094729. Accessed 24 Sept. 2026.

South African History Online. "FNB cancels its R20 million anti-crime initiative designed to encourage President Thabo Mbeki to make crime his priority." South African History Online. January 30, 2013. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0094729.