Zapiro detaches Zuma's showerhead
CAPE TOWN (Sapa) - Cartoonist Jonathan Shapiro, better known as Zapiro, has decided to temporarily detach the infamous shower from President Jacob Zuma's head.
Shapiro's latest cartoon, published in Tuesday's edition of the daily newspaper, The Times, shows Zuma sitting at his presidential desk with a dripping shower positioned above, rather than on, his head.
The shower, which has hitherto always been attached to Zuma's cranium, has the words "temporary suspension" tagged on it.
"I thought I will take stock of where we are and give the presidency a chance to going," Shapiro told Sapa.
"Despite my misgivings about Zuma and despite my belief that it was wrong for the ANC to have him as its presidential candidate, we all have to take stock of the reality that he is president of the country.
"So I said let's see if I can do gradual change -- a little transition."
Shapiro first used the shower image in 2006 after Zuma said during his rape trial that he had sought to prevented himself from contracting HIV by showering after having sex with his accuser (see full history here).
Since then Shapiro has used the shower to portray a whole range of meanings.
"That shower has become far more than a reference to the ridiculous comment about HIV," Shapiro said.
"It has also become a reference to his tendency to say odd things and behave slightly weirdly."
Zuma has had no mercy from Zapiro's pen. He was once depicted about to rape the female figure of Justice, while his political allies looked on.
Zuma launched legal action over that cartoon.
Shapiro said he had often come under intense political pressure to remove the shower from Zuma's head, but added that that was not the case this time.
He said he made up his mind to raise the shower after experiencing the mood of optimism in the country since Zuma's inauguration.
"On the morning of the inauguration, when I turned on the television, there was a sea of umbrellas.
"It seemed like there would be a huge downpour during the inauguration, but it didn't work out like that.
"Later on things became fairly sunny. I thought that was fairly symbolic," he said.
Shapiro said he had by then already completed his drawing for Sunday's Sunday Times which showed Zuma trying to forcibly remove the apparatus from his head.
"The punch line of that was 'try being truly presidential and maybe the shower will fall off by itself'," he said.
Shapiro used the shower as a lamp during the African National Congress' Polokwane conference in 2007, when Zuma defeated Thabo Mbeki for the party's presidency.
"I called it Polokwane power failures, which had a double meaning," he said, referring the power blackouts South Africa was experiencing at the time and the loss of power by Mbeki.
He said his drawing on Tuesday had created an enormous amount of interest.
He had been receiving calls all day from people worried that the shower head might get lost for good.
Shapiro said he had been trying to have his satirical puppet show about South African politics broadcast, but that he had little hope for it.
The show, he said, "may not be possible in this country at the moment".
"The SABC commissioned a pilot which was meant to lead to a 12 part series, but it didn't follow through.
"They have had very powerful people at the SABC who do not agree at all with the irreverence that we show towards politicians.
"There is a big difference in the amount of freedom we have had in print media, and amount on the airwaves, particularly at the SABC."
As for his cartoons, which he publishes in different newspapers four times a week, Shapiro said he would soon start picking up more subjects, such as opposition political parties.
"Even people that have been ANC supporters in the past [and are no longer] are not finding great replacements in the opposition," he said. "I don't particularly like any of them."
Shapiro promised however that the shower would be back on Zuma's head if he did not measure up.
"All it is is a temporary change. If he doesn't perform or things goes wrong it will wang [sic] back on his head."
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Comments
he won't have a shower head, he'll have a ruddy fire engine and fire hose on his head ...
by pamplona on May 12 2009, 17:27
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It looks like Zapiro has sold out on his (supposedly strong) personal convictions to 'The Man'.
by W on May 13 2009, 06:33
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Now I know what is meant by the water crisis
by Zille Plumbers on May 13 2009, 08:42
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Yeah, I feel you are bowing down to pressure and selling out. He's the same man, just now he's mr. pez. You didn't pull back on Bush etc. so why pull back on Zuma now. Very dissappointed. What ever your reasoning, it's plain and simple appeasement.
by fellow toonist on May 13 2009, 08:45
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Despite his many past sins, Zuma is now in charge of the cookie jar. Zapiro is basically giving him a 2nd (3rd, 4th, 8th ?) chance to prove his worth in the new role, that is reasonable and no sell-out.
by Realist on May 13 2009, 10:00
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To new beginngs.
Although not a Zuma supporter, I think its great to have an liberal approach to politics and to accept the present. only with acceptance the current we can direct our thoughts purposefully to the future and to builing our nation
by Mich on May 13 2009, 10:27
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you can write, sing, draw, publish or better yet say what ever it is that you want, at the end of it all, he will remain the PRESIDENT of the republic!!!
Operation Deliver has been in the pipeline for sometime now. Can't wait to see Mr . .more
by Motho on May 13 2009, 11:46
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The President of a country is usually put in high office by the general populace and would normally have EARNED their respect and admiration.
Remember that Zuma is a party choice, not a public choice and, with the cloud of suspicion of wrong-doing . .more
by Reitz on May 13 2009, 11:57
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Dear Zapiro
What about a toilet bowl around Malema's neck. He must be RSA's No 1 racist today. He hates whites and deserves to be labelled as a S*** stirrer.
by J on May 13 2009, 12:31
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J, that was sooooo funny! Can't wait to see what Zapiro will do with your suggestion! I hope he sees your comment and that he will do us all a favour by
doing just that!
by Joker on May 13 2009, 14:34
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Bravo Zapiro! Since Zuma seems incredibly sensitive to Zapiro's pen, we can but hope that this is a carrot (to an A**?) to act in ways which will keep that prodigous dome free of plumbing. I support the sentiment, and would LOVE to see that shower head . .more
by Hwyl on May 13 2009, 15:38
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Hehehe, that's a SA version of a fatwa. But J, be reasonable, surely of all the rooinek boere dragging farm labourers behind bakkies, you cannot possibly think Malema is the No 1 racist.
by Khuleka on May 14 2009, 08:51
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Khuleka will certainly also defend farm murderers and rapists as victims of racism.
by Fritz on May 15 2009, 13:20
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very good i like it shpiro
by wellingson on October 07 2009, 14:44
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