What reputation? asks Zapiro

2006-07-06 22:33

Katrien Smit

Johannesburg - Zapiro says his latest cartoon in the Jacob Zuma lawsuits saga sums up his whole attitude to the matter.

Jonathan Shapiro, better known as cartoonist Zapiro, has summed up his disgust for the former deputy president in the cartoon that appeared in the Star on Thursday.

It shows a furious Zuma demanding R15m from Zapiro and shouting: "I'm suing for damage to my reputation!"

The cartoon shows a bored, indifferent Zapiro replying: "Would that be your reputation as a disgraced, chauvinistic demagogue who can't control his sexual urges and who thinks a shower prevents Aids?"

Zuma is claiming R63m from various media for alleged defamation.

Based on reputation

Among the claims is one of R15m against Zapiro for three cartoons that appeared in the Star newspaper during Zuma's rape trial.

Zuma was found not guilty of rape and discharged.

Zapiro said: "His defamation claim against me is based on an allegation that I slandered his reputation.

"As I said earlier - my first reaction was 'what reputation?' and I decided to play on that theme in this cartoon."

But, Zapiro says, the affect of Zuma's claims against the media is beginning to filter through.

"There were quite a few other things that I wanted to include in my text ...

"But, that is exactly the problem now - people are worried and wary."

Professor Anton Harber, head of the journalism department at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), said on Thursday he could only make one comment about Zapiro: "Good for him!"

"Cartoons are supposed to get up politicians' noses and Zapiro is a specialist in this respect.

Claims are 'outrageous'

"I will be greatly surprised if Zuma has a case against cartoonists," said Harber.

He said, too, that Zuma was claiming "outrageous" restitution from the media.

"Our courts do not make rulings to that extent."

Beeld asked whether Zuma was planning to add the latest Zapiro cartoon to his claims list, but the e-mail did not elicit any reaction from "the office of Jacob Zuma".

- Beeld