Rape of SA cartoon sends shockwaves

Zapiro’s sequel to 2008 rape of Lady Justice has a Gupta as the boss

Cartoonist Jonathan Shapiro won’t use the rape metaphor again any time soon.

He was responding to criticism on social media to his latest cartoon‚ where President Jacob Zuma can be seen handing a rape victim draped in the South African flag to one of the Gupta brothers.

“I didn’t think I would return to this metaphor‚” said Shapiro‚ known as Zapiro.

The drawing is a flashback to his 2008 cartoon depicting Zuma about to rape Lady Justice‚ being held down by former ANC Youth League president Julius Malema‚ party heavyweight Gwede Mantashe‚ Zwelinzima Vavi and Blade Nzimande.

The characters‚ and the victim‚ are different in his new offering. Zuma can be seen adjusting the zipper on his trousers‚ and handing his victim to one of the Gupta brothers who is about to “rape” South Africa. The woman is being held down by Moegsien Williams‚ editor-in-chief of Gupta-aligned television news channel ANN7 and the New Age newspaper‚ State Security Minister David Mahlobo representing “state organs” and Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini representing “cronies”.

Shapiro said that he‚ like so many other artists‚ had become “desperate to find ways to make a strong statement” about the current situation in the country.

“I do know that the original Lady Justice cartoon in 2008 is the most powerful cartoon I’ve done. A cartoon is almost never capable of changing the course of history.

“It would be a megalomaniac notion to think you can change the course of history‚ but you can contribute to the kind of debates that are happening‚” he told TMG Digital.

“Jacob Zuma did in fact do exactly what that cartoon was saying he was doing which was to abuse‚ essentially rape‚ the system of justice to get corruption charges dropped so that he could become president. I am saying he’s behaved that way all through his presidency.”

Shapiro said the difference between this cartoon and the 2008 cartoon is that now SA was at the centre. Zuma is portrayed as the sidekick, the Guptas are the protagonists.

“I know that it’s shocking. People have said why use the rape. I am using it because it is shocking... any viewer can see the empathy that would be generated by this cartoon for the person who is being raped.”

I do know the Lady Justice cartoon in 2008 is the most powerful cartoon I’ve done Jonathan Zapiro CARTOONIST