So the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa is demanding that Zapiro apologise for drawing what so many are talking about in private: the utter abuse of state institutions, office and the Constitution.
This assault on and degrading of constitutional order was highlighted by the call for a political solution to President Jacob Zuma’s woes and has been crowned recently by the defiant appointment of an ANC apparatchik to the position of chief prosecutor of our country — crass protectionism for political heavyweights at the very top. Now we are on the verge of an inexplicable pardon of fraudster Schabir Shaik after his even more questionable medical parole. Another blatant abuse of public confidence is about to happen.
In his cut-throat style Zapiro compared this with the “raping of lady justice”. He has every right to do so. The events described above violate the constitutional order that so many have lost life and limb to realise.
Whether a head of state should be portrayed in these crass terms is a matter for the conscience of the cartoonists and commentators but I wouldn’t forbid them. The day we tell writers, opinion makers, artists and intellectuals in general to be “tempered”, “toned down” and “mollycoddled”, especially towards paid public servants, is the day we start an irreversible assault on freedom of expression. In any event there are so few pubic intellectuals who are willing to be targets of the new powers-that-be that there is very little public discourse going on — a sign of our times.
In practice, if you disagree with the mainstream, you are labelled disruptive, disrespectful, self-promoting and rebellious. That is why it is easier said than done. So do the municipal workers have a leg to stand on about respecting the person and office of the president other than appealing to Zapiro’s “inner African being”? I am afraid not. To do this they will have to be a lot more consistent. I have yet to hear them condemn Tokyo Sexwale, Buti Manamela and Angie Motshekga for calling political opponents witches, baboons and dogs in the name of protecting those people’s public office and dignity. So where do we draw the thin line between rights and responsibilities?
Sadly, I don’t think any political party has cracked the relevant formula. None are innocent in attempting to silence dissenting voices in their ranks. Recently we saw the ANC trying to silence party veterans Frene Ginwala and Kader Asmal. In Cope — where a ticket of defending the Constitution was punted as the number-one campaign issue — similar tendencies are cropping up, as reported by this newspaper last week.
Some leaders who shout against these things in broader society don’t like it when they are criticised publicly. Cope and the ANC are not alone in this tendency to be sensitive when it comes to criticism. People in the IFP are terrified of the questioning of Mangosuthu Buthelezi’s lifelong leadership of the party. People in the UDM are whispering about the eternal general … and who would have thought the SACP would do the “Nujoma” and change their constitution instead of changing their general secretary — and there was not a murmur of protest at the obvious wrong — to suit individuals’ insatiable hunger for power.
So it seems to me that this freedom of expression thing is indeed easier said than done because it is clear that politicians of every hue with their expedience will never convincingly and consistently defend these rights.
Citizens like Zapiro must be given the space to sharply point out the dark side of society and be protected by our courts from the powerful in society who have become so self-important that they can’t even have fun poked at them nor can they stand even the mildest of criticisms.
To those who wield the pen, however, it’s important we exercise that freedom while being cognisant of the society we’re trying to build where we can criticise without insulting.
To politicians, come on, receive criticism without always trying to kill its messenger in the name of an inflated sense of dignity. Let a million flowers bloom!
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True! We support freedom of speech´- it´s what we fought and died for, those that attack cartoonists and journalists are turning their backs on the ideals of democracy - let a million flowers bloom… someone has to speak up when things go wrong - well done to those who are brave enough to do so.
Interesting observation - you say “politicians of every hue” yet I don’t see a single example of the DA doing this? I believe that is very selective of you in the first order, and very disingenuous of you to suggest of EVERY hue when there is a clear example of one group NOT doing it… the DA.
“Dignity” is not the issue; Impunity is. And for that matter, Immunity. The two are virtually identical.
Pols and ANC ‘deployees’ are not entitled to respect by virtue of their Public Office. They must EARN respect in order to claim the Dignity of Office. Any idiot can occupy a seat in the legislature or warm a chair in the public service. Mere presence is not enough to merit Respect.
The freedom of expression principle that is at stake here is that of ‘fair comment’ which has a long history. Politicians play fast and loose with the truth, routinely exaggerating their and their party’s accomplishments whilst dissing the opposition. In a democracy, no public servant is protected from criticism. Public SERVANTS are paid by US. They are EMPLOYEES, not “deployees”. As EMPLOYEES they are subject to performance reviews and accountable to US for every penny they earn and every penny they spend on the job.
When politicians claim that their ‘dignity’ has been injured, they are really saying that their ‘impunity cloaks’ aren’t working.
There is a serious message in the story of “The Emperor’s New Clothes”. Politicians are not entitled to hide behind claims of impunity based on their ’struggle credentials’ or on their race. When pols abuse the privileges of office they cannot hide behind claims of hurt dignity when someone calls them on it. They are there to be scrutinised and commentators like Zapiro are doing their jobs when they criticise hubris in politicians. Viva Zapiro!
@OJT
I cannot understand how you fail to see the destructive effect of Zapiro’s gangrape satire on our divided society grappling with racism, crime and violence!
Not only should he apologize, he should also be tried in a court of law for abusing our freedom of speech to slander and demean an entire population of black men and women. Did you ever see Jonathan Shapiro depicting any white politician engaging in gangrape? In which other democracy in the HISTORY OF OUR PLANET has a president been portrayed as participating in gangrape? Is you hatred of the ANC so intense that you are willing to throw away common decency to engage in partisan politics? I can understand Zapiro’s fear of Zuma stemming from racism and the loss of white-AA privileges, but I wonder where your hate comes from? Tribalism perhaps?
No insult intended JJ, but it appears that you have come to understand ‘Africa’, as it is understood by us ‘non-Africans’.
You seem to be quite sure about yourself that Shaik will be pardoned. One wonders if you are privy to special information. We hope that you are wrong, but thanks for trying if you are not.
This is a one party state and those in power can do and, do do whatever they please. All their acts of corruption, theft and ineptitude are rewarded with silence, promotion or huge golden handshakes.
The arms deal is going to cause immeasurable harm to us and already has. As Eskom rates soar to pay for the things that were bought by the ANC that were not needed (presumable to solicit bribes), instead of power stations that were needed, its the tax payer that will have to bear the brunt of this.
It is also most annoying when the trade unions talk about ‘the poor’ as the main victims and that ‘the rich’ must pay for the increases.
Who are the rich?? Once you had say R1,000 per month of disposable income that you could use to visit the cinema or a restaurant or save. Now that is there no more so the ‘rich’ cut back, the restaurants and cinemas close down and the ‘poor’ who used to work there are left unemployed. The ‘rich’ are defined as 5% (perhaps) of the citizens so the rate hikes are going to wipe out or effect 95% of us.
We all need to take note that everyone is broke at this time - it is just the level they are at that differs. We all have more month than money and now we will have even more month than money. Praise be to the one party state and bad politicians.
Dave Harris; From the perpective of many, many observers in this country, Zuma has abused the justice system by:
. Stamping all over the separation of powers doctrine: Closing the Scorpions and replacing them with the politically controlled Hawks.
. Avoiding his own criminal prosecution by subverting the NPA and being released using dubious plagiarised gobbledegook, dutifully read out by a political ally.
. Consistently saying one thing, and doing another.
. Always obviously slanting the truth in his favour; ie: After the Mpeshe whitewash, professing his “innocence”, when Mpeshe never spoke about his innocence.
The list goes on, and on. Zuma is a dissapointment: He has no real interest in the left; he has made many empty promises about the poor - the worst part of it all is this subversion of the organs of state to suit his personal ambitions. Zapiro’s cartoons talk about this abuse openly. And by the way, Dave, many cartoonists in the US and UK have repeatedly portrayed Bush and Blair as murderers, killers, perverts and criminals - just google ‘bush hitler’; and you’ll see that in a democracy, it’s OK for commentators to criticise the elite, otherwise, Dave, it’s called a DICTATORSHIP. remember apartheid, buddy?
Dave Harris, banging on the same worn out drum again. Surely you are not such a fool. Or perhaps you revel in the attention that your posts bring you.
The only destructive effect of Zapiro’s satire is upon Zuma and his ruling party, with respect to his potential pardoning of Shaik and de Kock. Most blacks who can think beyond base populist junk, and who can rise above their own innate racism, such as Onkgopotse and Tinyiko (and many thousands of others), can see this. They do not have hate, as you accuse the writer, but they have brains and can think.
There is a term of language “rape of justice” which was not invented by Zapiro. He just very cleverly caricatured this language in a very relevant manner, to remind us of Zuma’s personal brush with justice; - not only in securing for himself relief from the courts on the matter of fraud and corruption charges against him; but also that he possibly secured for himself a not-guilty verdict in the case of rape that was brought against him.
Dav Harris, don’t project YOUR racism onto others.
ODT has explained that Zuma et al HAVE abused lady justice and that is all Zapiro is depicting. If you wish to do a Mbeki and see it in race terms, that’s your problem. Keep it to yourself.
Twit
More power to cartoonists like Zapiro! If politicians and other public figures don’t like being ridiculed, then they should learn to avoid such issues that attract the eyes and pen/brush of the cartoonist - after all, we are not the servants of the politicians - they are OUR servants by virtue of the fact that WE TAXPAYERS pay their fatcat salaries, hence we ARE entitled to accountability from them!!! And if they mess up - tough takkie - they must be prepared to take what is being dished out to them!!!
Racism is discrimination based on skin colour. If Zapiro criticizes on the basis of an individual’s behaviour he cannot be a racist! Sorry Mr Harris, but Jesus still loves you x
If we start a witch hunt to persecute those who supposedly attack the president’s character, we’ll find ourselves close to arresting people as is done in Zimbabwe, merely for calling Bob a goblin.
Protect our Freedoms, including Freedom of Expression and Speech. The president is not immune to criticism, he is not holy or untouchable, this is a liberal democracy, not a medieval monarchy.
Mr Tabane, how I wish you could invoke your early learning (prior to school) from parents and the village. Freedom has never equalled impunity, enlightment was never meant to forego the good being (Remember ubuntu?)in us. Your Zapiro belongs in eurocentric world and we should never be forced to embrace him.
Lady Justice as a rule
should not be thought a common fool;
while she’s caught behind jail bars
the guilty chase around in cars
frequently of German make –
no wonder most are on the take.
From her prison cell she’s made
a call to arms against the trade
that robs us of the right to sun:
well-shod felons on the run –
wolves that dress in karakul,
you will find no finer wool
to pull over the voters’ eyes
conspiracies, plots… self-serving lies.
Kalahari Doringboom on January 24th, 2010 at 8:05 pm
@Marius Redelinghuys
Lets not forget that it is ONLY because of our liberation struggle that we can now enjoy freedom of speech. Tyrants, racists, despots, fundamentalists…..abuse this freedom to further their own agenda but in the process we all slide down this slippery slope toward censorship. This is similar to the way terrorists use the freedoms of an open society to propagate their agenda, ultimately causing free societies to degenerate into police states.
Of course politicians need to be thick-skinned and tolerate insults, but it grossly unfair to compare Zapiro’s racism to the simple-minded “goblin” insult. Does this make all Zimbabweans feel like goblins? For us to allow Zapiro, whose signature satire is GANGRAPE, to hijack this freedom we now enjoy is plain wrong. Zapiro’s abuse of this freedom places us ALL at risk!!! Furthermore, this injustice is not just Zuma, but the negative stereotyping strikes deeply at ALL black men and women in our country. How long do you think blacks are going to continue to tolerate this kind of insulting “euro-centric satire”?
btw. Have you EVER seen ANY democratic leader of European descent repeatedly depicted as participating in GANGRAPE? Are white males incapable of gangrape?
I don’t understand the problem. Zapiro is just a cartoonist. He’s not important at all, just good at what he does. Look at it, don’t look at it, just form your own opinion.
You do not understand freedom. True freedom is the ability to restrain our leaders from behaving with impunity. The freedom to question, criticise and expose the truth is good for a free society. The ‘good being’ can exist much better with enlightenment. The eurocentric world is not a bad place to learn from. You are not forced to embrace, and neither are you forced to reject by virtue of your African-ness.
Do you really want to venerate Zuma as a king, who can do no wrong, and whose rule is absolute, and who can brook no criticism, on pain of death. Afrocentric thought is suicide. Free yourself!
When you live in a township where a gang is on every street corner preying on young and old subjecting any person to unimaginable abuse one wonders how a violent image of a young black woman about to be gang-raped can ever be acceptable in communities who live through the trauma of rape on a daily basis. I am a young black woman who live in a township. I frequent public transport and live in a shack. Gang rape is a daily fear. RAPE is a daily fear. To be violated in any shape or form is a daily fear. I do not care about satire or about Shapiro. But I live in fear.
This image therefore conjures up something else other than freedom of speech or satire.
Why is it that men are always flippant about violent images of women in particular? Why do men always elevate themselves to speak in our name?
These people make tissue an issue, there is no need for Zapiro to apologise since we are on a democratic country.There is no one who can limit someone`s intelligence but they can destroy it as they are doing right now.LEAVE Zapiro`s outstanding works alone and concerntrate on doing the right thing.
Do us all a favour and prove to us that these cartoons are steroptyping anyone. Your saying so does not make it true no matter how often you repeat it.
Gang Rape: We have the highest rape rate in the world. More women are raped, attacked and gang raped than in any other place in the world. The activity depicted in the cartoon is not an outlandish thing for some South African men to be caught doing. The only difference is that it involves the office of the president. Is that what makes people angry? What about the actions of the president and his allies? Do they equate with rape?
Dave Harris; this is not a race thing. It’s an anger thing. The cartoon is a cartoonist lashing out in anger at the elite, not at a race. If you track Zapiro’s work over many years, he is very clearly not racist. He’s very obviously a freedom-loving democracy-doting pinko: But he does get angry. He’ll draw George Bushes brain in his a*s, he’ll draw Zuma abusing lady justice. And, if Zuma’s people try to “stamp him out” or whatever it is they threaten him with, he’ll get angry with them, and he’ll do it again, just to prove his point.
It’s psychology we’re dealing with here dave, not race.
If i were you , i would most probably concentrate all my energies of spinning in convincing the various factions of COPE to unite behind one leader before it (COPE)dies a natural death, which seems inevitable in any way, taking into account the egos of the power mongers leading it. That is the only reason they left the ANC.
Shapiro does not bit about the bush,the man is not diplomatic,he is straight forward and generous with truth,that is what our comrades hate about Shapiros of our country.They are happy if you sugar-coat your critism torwards them.But try and be yourself and speak your mind,they get ugly instantly.They are good in inventing terms to describe their critics,like you rightly point out JJ,as some are dogs,baboons and so on,but come to the mandate received in the polls,realy our counrty will be planning until fifty years lapses since democracy if this is the pace things are happening and the people do not derserve that,let us not shift goal posts comrades,service to the people today
@steve
Sorry Steve, I just don’t buy it that Zapiro is not a racist, possibly blind to his racism. Have you seen his latest creation - ZA News or have the producers canned it already?
With freedom of speech comes responsibility, and Zapiro clearly needs help in this department. In any other country, he would be answerable to numerous watchdog organizations for his behavior. In SA, blacks are far too tolerant of his demeaning, racist “satire”.
Afrocentric = suicidal!?! Wow, amazing. On this particlar depiction Zapiro jumped the gun. My response was specificlly directed to the author. I respect your view as it is informed by where you have been in life. In the same vein allow me my bondage.
His Excellency President Zuma deserves respect, he may not be a king but he is uBab’ uMsholozi, uNxamalala, a pillar of strength for some of us.
The ZA News also depicts Helen Zille in a ridiculous and humorous manner, and pokes fun at her weaknesses and eccentricities.
You have talked yourself into a deep hole of denial and keep digging it deeper. Reminds me of my poor granny who could not utter the name of a dread disease unless it was said in an inaudible whisper. She died of CANCER.
Now GANGRAPE happens unfortunately, and pictures or caricatures from the cartoonist pen do not perpetuate or glorify GANGRAPE. If anything, it may educate towards the elimination of such a scourge. Get off it already.
@Sibusiso Mzila
Sorry, but I cannot respect your naivette, inasmuch as I see it as a culturally induced self-harm that makes you powerless, and Zuma all-powerful. You put your fate in his hands as one does as a small child with his father, yet you are a fully grown man. This same grovelling suplication is what caused your people to bow and scrape to the European colonialists.
Zuma does not deserve your respect. Eventually he will use it to harm you, and still you will venerate him while he stands on your neck. Then again, he may not turn out like HIS EXCELLENCY PRESIDENT MUGABE, but why even give him the chance?
Furthermore, a constitutional democracy gives the leash in the hands of the people, and not the other way round. Who sould be restrained from their excesses, the people or the politicians?
What you propose is that we remove the leash altogether and just supplicate ourselves to our political masters. This is not the will of the people, especially when the leash dissapears and gets replaced by the whip.
I think the “Hiprocracy” and “death of debate” artcles apply here,I so wish SACP and COSATU were separate fron ANC and were just as powerful,I think this the perfect oppotunity to “debate” this and expose the “hipocracy” within the system,I think as wel we are all cowards this goes back to the platforms we have with our friends or strangers,I do not know how many times I have debated the Zuma or malema issues alone either no one supporting me or being attacked by everyone,even though they agree with me,
Worst of all we make it emotional,most debates often get emotional at some point for no apparet reason,then you racism cards flow,then we attack the messenger.I think we have look at history as well where we were being told what you like,how you should behave,what you belive in,then now you 3 people doing the same thing diffrently which was not there before,now things have changed ,at some point you question your way,thats when the emotional part comes in,defending your way without reasons.The art of debating is missing and we have less free thinkers and a lot of followers is abig problem,people just repeat what they have heard
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Onkgopotse JJ Tabane is the political adviser to Cope's parliamentary leader. He writes in his personal capacity.
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Onkgopotse JJ Tabane is a Media and Communications Specialist who has become a public commentator on a wide range of socio political issues over the last decade.
He has cut his teeth in both Government and Private Sector as a top communicator winning awards such as the Government Communicator of the year in 2002 and holding senior positions such as Ministerial Spokesperson for various ministers, Head of Ministry of Environmental Affairs, Communications Advisor to the Chamber of Mines Communications Vice President and General Manager at South African Airways as well as Chief Executive of Graphicor and Simeka Communications. He has also held a senior corporate affairs Job at Top Electonic Company Altron where he was in Charge of the company’s Transformation Programme and Corporate Social Investment.
When COPE was formed in 2008 Tabane quit his Corporate Job to Join COPE as their Head of Communications leading up to the 2009 General election. Today amongst his many activities he is Political Advisor to COPE Parliamentary Leader Dr Mvume Dandala and occasional contributor to many publications. He has also served on various boards of directors including as a member of the Gauteng Tourism Authority, Johannesburg Tourism Authority and until recently chaired the board of the Indalo Yethu Environmental Campaign.
He is still a member of the Northwest University Council where he is serving his second term. JJ Tabane is widely known for his forthright manner of debate and fearless tackling of public commentary since his student days where he was SRC President and Vice President at the Universities of the North and Western Cape where he qualified in Law and Politics. He holds a BA,( UNIN), BPROC (UWC) and Masters in Political Economy (NMMU).
He is married to Lorraine Ditshedi Tabane and has two children, Oreabetse (3) and Resego (12).
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