Zuma to sue Zapiro

Werner Swart

ANC president Jacob Zuma has instructed his legal team to sue cartoonist Jonathan Shapiro, who publishes under the pen name Zapiro, for defamation over his latest controversial cartoon.
The cartoon appeared in the Sunday Times at the weekend and shows Zuma unzipping his pants while his alliance partners hold down the figurative Lady of Justice, suggesting that Zuma is about to “rape” justice as he is egged on by his allies.
Zuma instituted lawsuits against various media houses, including Shapiro in his personal capacity, shortly after his acquittal on charges of rape in the Johannesburg High Court in 2006 over several cartoons published during the trial.
Zuma reduced the amount of some of the claims after his election as ANC president in December last year. In January this year, he accepted a R50,000 settlement from Afrikaans Sunday newspaper Rapport.
A source has told The Times Zuma asked his legal team to probe whether he has a case against Zapiro and the Sunday Times over the latest cartoon, and to institute a damages claim if it is felt the cartoon violated his dignity.Liesl Gottert, a spokeswoman for Zuma, confirmed to The Times that Zuma made the instruction.



· View a larger version of the cartoon
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· AUDIO: Listen to Zapiro’s defence