But has Zapiro gone far enough?
I read a very interesting story on Thought Leader saying Zapiro went too far with a cartoon in the Sunday Times showing Zuma supporters holding down a woman symbolising the justice system and Zuma unbuttoning his pants while being told to “go for it.”
“While Zapiro is entitled to use the metaphor of rape to highlight local misgivings concerning the attack on the criminal justice system, it is in light of JZ’s acquittal for rape tantamount to a rejection of the findings of a judge operating within the system he seeks to protect,” writes blogger Mike Trapido.
It gave me pause for thought, but only for a second, because the metaphor used here does not suggest Zuma being guilty of raping an individual, but rather suggests his allies are guilty of raping our legal system through the systematic attempted manipulation and intimidation of our courts. Zuma, through inaction, gives his blessing.
Zapiro asks how far will Zuma and his allies go in undermining our legal system for self gain and then suggests the answer. It is a legitimate if shocking comment on the current state of power politics in the country.
The question I find myself asking is has he gone far enough to shocking South Africa out of its comfortable complacency?
Point of correction, …the metaphor is showing Zuma about to rape the justice system with the help of his allies. Problem is, you only thought for a second before posting your blog, maybe you should do some more thinking. It might help to make sense of what you are trying to drive across. Does Zuma, through his inaction, gives his blessing to his supporters? Maybe, does addressing the issue by being personal towards him helping to sort out the problem? I don’t think so.
I’m with you Mark. @Abe, Zapiro’s job, as you put it, is not to “sort out the problem”. Its the awareness end of the issue that is his remit, and the complacent masses are his target. He is a satirical filter for what is happening in this country.
Its not his portrayal of the situation that is shocking, but the actions of the protagonists that the elements of this cartoon are based upon. During Apartheid the media was gagged and people had to turn to rioting to make their point. Lets not go back there.