ANC denounces distasteful depiction

The ANC in the Western Cape condemns in the strongest possible terms the offensive painting by Ayanda Mabula who depicts our President Zuma partly exposed.

This sad sequel to the first fiasco by Bret Murray's "Spear" mischievously masquerading as artwork is as distasteful, disrespectful and disgusting as the first but worse still, this artist cannot even claim originality and ingenuity. 

The artist must be reminded that this act, like his erstwhile mentor's in May is also a violation and infringement of a number of rights as entrenched in our Constitution including the right to dignity and privacy of our President as a person and an individual, and is in flagrant violation of the spirit and intention of our Constitution.

Equally so and as disturbing is the dangerous pattern that is emerging when individuals believe they have the right to attack the integrity of the office of the President of the Republic of South Africa under the guise of freedom of expression.

We know of no other country, dictatorship or democracy where citizens who'd so brazenly abuse the letter of their laws to the extent where they will insult the dignity of the President in the manner that this artist and Murray has done, even if their legislation allows for it.

Most distinguished artists across the world including the ones residing in developed democracies with the most liberal interpretation of its freedom of expression legislation understand that there is a line that although it can be crossed, it should not be crossed when we deal with dignity the President in office. This line we are referring to distinguishes between what is respectful and what amounts to disrespect and repulsiveness. In the case of this painting it is both disrespectful and distasteful.

As the party that gave South Africans their freedom, including this artist, and delivered our democracy as well as our beloved constitution we also believe that this is act amounts to a flagrant abuse of our rights.

We furthermore remind the artist and those that are supporting, protecting and defending him "under the auspicious freedom of expression" that no right is absolute and that with all rights come responsibilities, and therefore it is not expected nor was it intended in terms of the spirit of our constitution for citizens to act in a manner as this artist did - I.e. irresponsible, insensitive and infringing upon the human rights of others as well crossing the line with regard to the esteem of the Presidency.

More worrying though is that this act is not only immature, irresponsible and insensitive; the artist has allowed himself to be used by his principals - the gallery owners - bringing to the fore the primordial paternalism, inherent racism and Eurocentric mannerisms prevalent in some people who may support him. 

The fact that the artist is an African does not make it any less racist nor Eurocentric. Worse still it would seem that the artist either wittingly or unwittingly has done the dirty work of his erstwhile master - the gallery - or now will be rewarded by becoming a house slave and with some notoriety. 

Furthermore the ANC warns that the unintended consequences of this irresponsible, irreprehensible and insensitive saga will no doubt once again be a repeat of the first, bringing into the open and further perpetuating the divisions between black and white people as the debate rages for and against this act.

We should remind South Africans that during the first saga of "Spear" it was the majority of the white population who defended the indefensible work of Murray, whilst the majority of the black population in general rightfully found this act distasteful and thus denouncing it.

We call upon call upon all right minded citizens, leaders of communities and political parties in particular to also condemn this act as their silence at this time implies tacit complicity for this irresponsible and irreprehensible act.

Statement issued by ANC Western Cape chairperson Marius Fransman, August 29 2012

Click here to sign up to receive our free daily headline email newsletter