Is the recent criticism of Zapiro’s cartoon on the South African elections by Annar Cassam (a Tanzanian, who was formerly director of the UNESCO Bureau at the UN Office in Geneva and consultant at UNESCO/PEER Nairobi.) valid?

The cartoon that Cassim has an issue with is the cartoon published in the Mail & Guardian on the 23rd April 2009, showing what lies ahead for the majority of voters who queued up to vote for the ANC because of what the leadership – here symbolized by the snake’s head – has promised them. She argues that Zapiro’s cartoon makes a mockery of the aspirations of impoverished voters,. She feels for Zapiro to trash and mock this memory of that first voting day of his country’s first democratic elections is an extraordinarily cheap act of contempt. And the contempt is aimed not just at the 2009 elections, the ANC and its leadership, it is above all aimed at the millions of voters who queued, as they have done every five years since 1994, to vote for a better life in their country. She continues to say that the venom in the cartoon makes a mockery of them and their aspirations and shows how much ‘prejudice and hate’ is expressed under cover of the freedom of expression by such cartoonists as Zapiro.

Cassam is free to have her own opinions but her interpretation of the cartoon and Zapiro’s message in the cartoon is completely wrong.

During the election campaign, the ANC like nearly all political parties have made promises in order to attract voters and especially those poor impoverished voters. The election process was peaceful and democratic despite the voters having to be patient by waiting in long queues. Now the ANC have been voted in by an overwhelming majority, they will need to deliver. Looking at the track record of the prior 15 years of ANC rule, this certainly has not always been the case. In 1994, the ANC was the champion of human rights, there was hope that South Africa would become a fairer, more equal and more caring society. In its own review, the ANC government acknowledged that half the population – 22 million out of 44 million – lived in abject poverty. Political power struggles, reports of corruption and the enrichment of the narrow politically-connected elite have become the order of the day

Zapiro sees himself as a graphical political commentator interpreting events as they happen. His cartoons over the years have been critical of all political parties especially when there are contradictions in their actions and their policies. This cartoon illustrates that South Africa remains a democracy through its election process with the snaking queues of patient voters and warns that it is always easier to make promises than implementing them.

One may agree or disagree with Zapiro, but at no stage is there any hate or cheap mockery on the down-trodden in this cartoon as suggested by Annar Cassam. Examine it and decide for yourself.

For more Zapiro cartoons on the South African elections link to http://www.zapiro.com.
If you wish to order an ebook version of the A-Z of the 2009 elections click HERE