Posted on September 9, 2008 - by Stephen Murray
Zapiro’s Jacob Zuma Cartoon
What ought a Christian to make of Zapiro’s latest offering of political satire. It looks pretty over the top even though many of us might agree with the sentiments he’s trying to portray. I guess he could have been a bit more careful. Jacob Zuma was acquitted of rape charges and so Zapiro should be careful of undermining the very judicial system he’s suggesting that Zuma and co. are raping. Some people have commented that the woman in the cartoon is white whilst the rest are all blacks – I’m not sure if I can see that it – let’s not turn this into a race issue again because I don’t think that’s Zapiro’s line given contributions he made to the struggle during apartheid.
You can read more here (for) and here (against). And you can see the cartoon, with commentary, here.
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Stephen Murray
Christian, husband to my beautiful Robin, missional dreamer, pastor, church planter, Arsenal, Sharks and Springbok supporter, surfer (in the real sea), patriotic South African, Capetonian. 
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September 9, 2008
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Baba Umfundisi said:
Looking at the 80-plus comments that were posted on the Mail & Guardian’s Thought Leader Blog, I would say that if Zapiro’s intention was to get people talking about what they REALLY believed was REALLY going down with JZ’s trial- then I would say that the ends has justified the means. I mean, we are 14 years into democracy now, surely we are big enough to handle blows that are close to the belt, even the occasional low one. As my granny used to say, if you can’t run with the big dogs, then you should stay on the verandah.
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September 10, 2008
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Burgo said:
Completely agree with Zapiro’s comment that South Africans need to stop thinking that their own domestic politicians are somehow sacrosanct while international political figures are “free-for-all” targets.
Satire shouldn’t have to set limits like that.
Brave of you to mention it on here Steve… nice one.
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September 12, 2008
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Steve said:
I am inclined to agree with your point about Zapiro flouting the judicial system as much as he portrays Zuma’s supporters as doing. Zuma was acquitted on the rape charge (which may have been a political put-up job). So Zapiro’s cartoon was over the top in that respect. But Vavi, in particular, also doesn’t seem to respect the judicial system, and that’s scary.
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September 16, 2008
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Susan Keegan said:
Stephen’s question: what ought a Christian to make of Zapiro’s cartoon. While Christians cannot simply point to the way God works and say we can do the same, I do think that God provides examples in His word of acceptable forms of protest. In many places in Scripture, His prophets are inspired to use extremely graphic and offensive imagery to shock people into understanding what’s really going on. Jeremiah compares Israel’s idolatry to prostitution – no holds barred with images like a donkey in heat. Ezekiel (in ch16) likens rescued Judah to an abandoned, bloodsmeared baby. Malachi promises that God will spread the excrement of the priest’s sacrifices on the faces of their children. Heavy stuff – designed to jolt them out of their complacency.
So, if being “over-the-top” in satirical or metaphorical passages is okay in the Bible, then maybe it’s okay for Zapiro. Is he undermining the justice system himself by using the rape reference that Zuma’s trial afforded him? I don’t think so. The trial really took place. Yes it’s unfair but then all cartooning is unfair. Cartoonists are sometimes quite cruel in their use of different identifiers including big ears or bulgy eyes – which are true but can’t really be helped. On the other hand, Zuma’s involvement in a rape trial could have been entirely avoided simply by keeping his trousers zipped.
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November 20, 2008
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Sizwe said:
Oh Jesus Christ – it’s just a damn cartoon – an artistic means of expression.. like any art form it’s meant to move you in some direction or other if it’s good. If it is boring to a viewer then it should not be considered be considered art. The fact that there are hundreds of comments about it by definition merits Zapiro’s work to be an art form – it certainly is moving people in some direction or other.