At their recent national convention in St Paul, Minnesota, the Republicans were quick to blame the “liberal media” for many of the ills of society. So too were their supporters in the conservative press. In response to questions regarding the suitability of John McCain’s running mate, for example, Jeffrey Kuhner of the Washington Times — not to be confused with the Washington Post — wrote that the “liberal media are determined to tarnish the reputation of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin”. Interestingly, the Economist — beautifully written but somewhat conservative — viewed McCain’s decision as raising “serious questions about his judgment”.
In South Africa, we too like to shoot the messenger. Take the ANC’s response to Zapiro’s most recent Sunday Times cartoon as an example. While paying lip service to press freedom as “one of the cornerstones of any democracy”, our ruling party claims that the mere publication of the “disgusting cartoon” constitutes “the abuse of press freedom”. Long story short, the ANC hopes that the “ranting dictator who finds joy in manipulating the truth” — better known to the rest of us as Mondli Makhanya — gets replaced, calling on the public to ensure that he “answer[s] for the abuse of press freedom by the Sunday Times“. A consumer boycott, perhaps?
Of course, those familiar with this particular war of attrition would remember Essop Pahad’s “very strong personal view” — which followed in the wake of the exposé of the minister of health’s drinking habits — that the state should pull its adverts from the weekly rag. The legal issue — whether an organ of state may decide to withdraw advertising from a newspaper solely on the basis that it disapproves of the publication’s content — is before the Grahamstown High Court. In that case, Rhodes University’s Grocott’s Mail is seeking to overturn a local government decision to boycott the twice-weekly publication.
But, as always (and as I always note), I digress — back to the Zapiro cartoon. I can understand why many may view it as depicting Jacob Zuma as a rapist. He’s sporting his showerhead, his pants are undone and a woman is pinned down in front of him. His comrades are egging him on: “Go for it, boss!” But it’s not just any woman. It’s a representation of the justice system, and the showerhead is widely understood as a reference to the comments about showers and HIV prevention (not the rape trial itself) and those pinning the woman down have all been complicit (or worse) in the attacks on the judiciary. Crudely put, the system is being screwed as part of a power play.
The question is not whether it “insults the integrity of the secretary general of the ANC … and [other] alliance leaders”. Of course it’s an attack on the organisations’ leadership. Rather, it’s whether the attack constitutes fair comment. As edgy as the cartoon may be, in my view — for whatever that’s worth — it passes the test. The ANC may have “repeatedly stated … [its] commitment to uphold and defend the Constitution, and the rule of law”, but it is disingenuous to assert that it has never attacked the judiciary but has rather “criticised unfair treatment of our president … in a normal public discourse of a democratic society”.
Normal public discourse in a democratic society does not, for example, include the ruling party marching to courts and police stations calling for the withdrawal of criminal charges. Nor does it entail labelling judges as counter-revolutionary. Most certainly, it does not include characterising the decision to lodge a complaint against Justice John Hlophe as mere preparation for a ruling against Zuma. “We expected this,” said Blade Nzimande shortly after the Constitutional Court had dismissed Zuma’s appeals to set aside the search-and-seizure operations crucial to the prosecution’s case. “The whole Hlophe matter … was actually preparing us for this.”
To be fair, Zapiro’s cartoon does push the boundaries of what we may consider acceptable. But so too did the one portraying the president’s official biographer and off-tune praise singer as a brown-noser, not to mention the cartoon depicting the former Israeli prime minister as a fascist and the one in which the minister of health crucified people living with Aids. Speaking of her, who could ever forget “Lemon is not a vegetable?” It’s the nature of the medium — it’s supposed to do what it does. It’s not meant to make us feel warm and fuzzy and patriotic and ready to take up arms to defend the leader. It’s designed to get us talking. At least we’re now talking.
Well, Zuma explains Zapiro’s cartoon very well himself:
It is “..only in dictatorships and autocracies that criticism is viewed with contempt.”
Interesting statement by Blade Nzimande:
“The whole Hlophe matter … was actually preparing us for this.”
As for the cartoon depiction of Zuma’s — and the ANC, and their crony judiciary members, for whom the constitution and bill of rights meant sweet nothing, in HC-CPD Appeal A 696-04 (as documented at JAG 07-146) actions towards; the respect they DEMAND from the public for the ‘rule of law’ and the ‘courts’, is nothing more than a farce.
Hlope was in fact the High Court Judge who did nothing about the NPA’s refusal to place HC-CPD Appeal A 696-04 on the roll for hearing in the High Court.
The ANC and many of it’s cronies in the judiciary treat the constitution, the bill of rights and the principle of the rule of law, with far less respect than Orange Free State University students treated a few black maids; and furthermor the students DO NOT PRETEND to be the countries role models and leaders of integrity and respect for the rule of law!!
Lyndall
Do not mix professional conduct with personal vendetta. The justice system is the only platform available to clarify if someone is stepping on your toes or not. JZ used a legitimate court process not the kangaroo media court to justify Zapiro’s behaviour.
There are two JZ, the ANC leader and normal being. In the cartoon JZ is not represented as a leader of an organisation but as a rapists in his personal capacity(It is not JZ alone who is abusing the justice system it is the whole organisation). I say it again; it would have made more sense if JZ was presented as an ANC leader in order to support the interpretation of the subject NOT in his personal capacity. For a person who does not know JZ, the cartoon says the behaviour of this man NOT the organisation is abusing the justice system.
Xolani and Minsk for joint president, how come such clever, intellegent, decent, articulate and decent persons are just writing blogs and not running the country.
Carry on guys you show the other Goons up, may Thought Leader give you guys a permanent posting
Brent
The cartoon is sincere and honest but it is so unfortunate that some people like to play the race card to the comfort zone. This race card exonerates one from blame and responsibility. I suppose even if Zapiro was black he could have been labelled as a puppet of the Western media and that is quite common in Africa.
If Africa is to advance to its full potential, Africans needs an honest debate and that is open to critiscm. This anti-Western bullshit needs to end and that also applies to this old tattered race card.
To MFB:
Regarding your “anti-Semitic cartoons” comment – you do know Zapiro is Jewish?
If Gerry is WHITE and Sentletse is BLACK, we will then believe there could be a mismatch in their reading of the cartoon. for argument sake lets say the woman justice system is black, the current justice system of the country is the black sister of the ANC. Sentletse may not be blind or uncritically but ashamed by the fornication that appears to be happening in the cartoon. one of the big uncles (JZ) raped her niece consensually and took shower quickly after the incident to clean his conscience and the disgrace. In Gerry’s analysis of the cartoon then we would argue that any white person would not want accept, tolerate and appreciate a black big uncle screwing a tiny little white sister that would be disgraceful. One can only imagine what could happen to her and her siblings. We are not playing the race card but we intend to point out the different view in a diverse democratic society we are all proud of. In a cultural point of view of a black man the cartoon is a disgrace. In a white men’s civilized society cartoons are humour. Unfortunately, Justice System is neither black nor white. It does not matter if its leader is Black; it dishes the white laws.
Jonathan, we should have known. Do you remember the old English phrase “Birds of the same feathers flock together?” We suppose you are an Advocate, you were expected to defend the justice system not satire. If one decides to redefine himself as a Jew one should take up arms again the honourable A. Hitler not ANC Leadership.
We are prepared to take up arms and kill for Zuma.
Mbeki is a coward – he should be recalled by calling for early election.
We should eliminate all the opposition.
We can allow this white journalist to disrespect our president.
What do all the above expressions have in common
Utturances by the ‘genius” ANCYL president. the honourable Julius Malema.
For Malema to claim that disrespect is shown to the one with the machine gun is dof. The man brings that unto himself. Some of us close our ears everytime he opens his mouth.
Did Zapiro cross the line of ethical commentry, me thinks he borders on crossing over. I would however encourage him to dish out this thought provoking comment (cartoon) if likes of Malema keep taking us for stupid consummers of news.
PS. In a gathering of opinion makers including Mantashe and Pityana it is reported that in response to Pityana’s comment about the ANC leadrship – Mantahse is said to ha responded that, if the likes of Pityana raises issues the ANC will find people to deal with them – note not to deal with the issues but to deal with those who raise the issues (was Mbeki not accussed of practicing this very approach to debates?).
I guess it is a question of the more things change the more they stay the same.
Hlabirwa, Mamelodi
Minsk
I hope that everyone READS your post CAREFULLY! You have listed the reasons why so many rapists get off. NOT because the judge or magistatre believes them but BECAUSE the state could not prove the case “beyond reasonable doubt”. HOWEVER the onus in a civil case is on the best “balance of probabilities” NOT “beyond reasonable doubt”.Therefore I still say that Zuma’s victim would have won in a civil trial.
This is a man , remember, who has 4 present wives, one ex-wife, one decesed wife, and allegedly a few engaged women as well, including a niece of the King of Swaziland. He has more women than the Zulu king – AND there are cultural reasons why the Zulu king must marry a woman from each tribe, because these wives are the representatives of their tribes at court. What is Zuma’s excuse?
Xolani
You always give me a lot of work! I would have prefered to write a blogpost and refer you to it than a comment – but I have not been able to post for almost 2 months and my blog on Amagama was down for most of the three months before that! It is driving me nuts! However here goes in reply to your questions:
AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION
I thought it was common knowlege that Mbeki has used the ANC 2/3 majority to continually amend the Constitution while paying lipservice to “the best constitution in Africa”. To quote:
“Since coming into power in 1994 the ANC has engaged in a number of practices that narrow rather than expand the political space for democratic participation. With more than two thirds majority in parliament, it has amended the Constitution, hammered out in interim form in CODESA over a two-year period and finalised in the people’s Constitutional Assembly over a further eighteen months twelve times, with the thirteenth and fourteenth amendments in parliamentary form…a precedent has been set; as amendments become routine, the practice is internalised in the emerging political culture”
“Shades of Difference” by Padraig O’Malley (page 471)
It is only my personal opinion that this is partly spite against Ramaphosa. Most writers attribute it to Mbeki’s communist training and his Stalinist Centralist leanings.
RIVALRY BETWEEN RAMAPHOSA AND MBEKI
This is also in almost every book. While Cyril was busy with negotiating the constitution, Mbeki AND Zuma were conspiring against him and working up a support base. For instance Mbeki canvassed Winnie Mandela and Peter Mokaba (ANCYL) both of whom disliked Cyril. Winnie, because Cyril had been deputised by Mandela to the Mandela Crisis Committee trying to curb Winnie’s excesses with her football club. Peter because Cyril had opposed and criticised his “one bullet” slogan. Mbeki and Zuma also started a smear campaign against Ramaphosa. I will not quote all the books on the subject here. Just three.
“Mandela…dropped a few hints along the way….that he had personally favoured Cyril Ramaphosa….Mandela warned in the speech that there could be problems”
Allister Sparks “Beyond The Miracle” page 281 ( I have already posted the words of Mandela’s speech)
“Thabo Mbeki ruthlessly carved his way to the deputy presidency at the expense of the more popular Cyril Ramaphosa, Mandela’s favourite”
“After The Party” by Andrew Feinstein (page 20)
“A third explanation for Ramaphosa’s inability to compete for the leadership was an increasingly dirty campaign of smears and character assassination. This was the harbringer of the vicious disinformation campaigns that were to scar the decades of Mbeki’s rule….Some were disturbingly malicious. All, to my knowlege were false………….Mandela’s friends and allies fell away, and he proved unable to prevent an unhealthy consolidation of power around MBEKI AND ZUMA’S conservative exile faction…..Mandela was neither decisive enough, nor any longer powerful enough, to inhibit Mbeki’s rise to the ANC presidency…He could not even prevent Mbeki hand-picking his deputy president, Jacob Zuma although convention dictated that the position should go to a different wing of the party.”
“Cyril Ramaphosa” by Anthony Butler (pages 320-328)
It was only much later that the co-conspirators Mbeki and Zuma fell out.
Tman
All Zuma is “using the law” to do is to buy time with actions both he AND his lawyers know they can’t win, while he whips up mob support. If “justice delayed is justice denied” this can’t apply if the accused is the one delaying the justice. Also if it applies it must apply to all. The Waterkloof 4 have just gone to jail, at aged 22, for crimes committed aged 15. That is 7 years. Does this rule apply to them as well or just to Zuma?
Brent
I wish they would either give ME a post or TL OR get Amagama working!
ah but i hear a cry from zapiro and his elite of how anc/alliance are going to abuse judiciary,what about zapiro respecting members of this organisation for him to insult this leaders means he is attacking masses that are led by these leaders.zapiro represent the view of rich torwards the masses,ignorant,violentand abusive,he might as well be groot krokodile
Without debating the merits and demerits of the cartoon, can somebody explain what kind of sick society will get so hyped about a cartoon that Zapiro has explained perfectly.
Sentletse you are my buddy and brother, but this is just a lot of noise about nothing. Lets not stereotype ourselves by calling things that are clearly not racial exactly that. Fighting racism and the mistaken white belie of purety is too important.
Otherwise Helen Zille will forever be immaculate
It’s a mistake to equate this specific Zapiro case with the very real, longstanding leftist bias of the West’s media.
Imagine if God intervened – and thumped Zuma dead with a thunderbolt? What would Zuma’s thugs do then? Trash the churches? Plan to “kill” God?
The trouble is that the ANC paid as much attention to the Youth League as they did to Eskom. Anyone has been given membership and no training – and mostly unemployed, unskilled and uneducated have joined looking for advancement. I think it unlikely that any of the grandchildren of the original Rivonia trialists are even members.
If they want to “die for Zuma” why not let them? Maybe the police should just listen to the Minister and “shoot the bastards”. Or does that not apply to ALL criminals?
Or is dragging children out of school to terrorise courts and police stations not a crime?
Zapiro is a satirical cartoonist – he receives remunerations for making people think! He certainly made everyone think with this one.
Sock it to me baby!
To all those who critisise Zapiro, before you post again read Andy Mason’s brilliant deconstruction of the cartoon in the Cape Argus of 10 September. You may just save yourself from further embarrassment.
Lazola, you are becoming quite possibly, the biggest coconut in South Africa. Jesus almighty Christ!!!! Embarresing…!!!
To all those who are up in arms with Jonathan Shapiro’s cartoon kindly learn that there is a new update.
Consider the following:
• http://www.mg.co.za/zapiro/all/
Would you have rather preferred the following?
• http://www.thetimes.co.za/OnCamera/Article.aspx?id=753689
By the way Dr Zuma has won.
For those of you with a more recent history of Zapiro…
Check out his cartoons from the 80′s where he ruthlessly & truthfully portrayed the atrocities of the Nationalist Government. PW Botha never escaped unscathed.
He was lauded by the very UDF, ANC & other “struggle” organizations who saw Zapiro’s work as the voice of the nameless & faceless. His work was banned & his freedom to express the truth curtailed by every means possible.
25+ years later…Zapiro is still giving South Africa & the world his biting, satirical, view….Yes the truth!!!
How ironic that now, this artist of integrity, is being attacked & possibly “banned” by the very same people who thrived on his biting criticism of the prior government.
Is it another “INCONVENIENT TRUTH?”
Keep up the incredible work Jonno.
very very scary! as a political cartoon its amazing. Perhaps some readers are not aware of the universal symbol of justice used here. Again it seems that its the men who are complaining at how its despicable to use a woman being raped. guys its called a METAPHOR, look it up. as I said before its incredibly scary to see the slow spiral down that South Africa has taken. I was born in Cape Town and now live abroad as is my right and from an outside point of view, the abuse and bullying by powerful people, and the zeal of their followers would not be tolerated in a rational democracy for very long. Do they really believe that their leaders are not diverting the path of democracy?
Dont forget that Zapiro has targeted political players from both sides for years. Take the emotion out of the equation and see whats really going on in the country. Those leaders dont need to threaten anarchy. If you havent noticed its pretty much on the brink. A very concise and scary cartoon for a very real and sad situation.