A documentary on political satire, which the SABC canned just before elections last month, will be broadcast on Tuesday evening, the Times reported.
The show includes material by cartoonist Jonathan Shapiro, known as Zapiro, who is being sued by President Jacob Zuma for a cartoon portraying him about to rape ”Lady Justice”.
This cartoon was published when Zuma was still embroiled in court bids to have graft charges dropped against him.
In the cartoon, Zapiro portrayed Zuma unbuckling his belt, while ”Lady Justice” is held down by Zuma allies Julius Malema, Gwede Mantashe, Blade Nzimande and Zwelinzima Vavi.
Mantashe eggs Zuma on: ”Go for it, boss!”
While Zuma’s allies claimed the cartoon was intended to project the ANC president as a rapist — even though Zuma was acquitted of rape in 2006 — Shapiro said the central meaning of the cartoon was ”incredibly clear”.
”It showed Jacob Zuma, with the help of his political allies, threatening and intimidating the judiciary to try to manipulate the courts for him to be exonerated and escape going on trial [for corruption], thus paving the way for Zuma to become president,” said Zapiro.
He said he used Lady Justice to represent the South African judicial system, adding that the figure is recognised as a symbol of justice the world over.
The documentary also features material from the Z-News satire, which was produced by Zapiro and shows Zuma trying to flee from the National Prosecuting Authority and axed president Thabo Mbeki in drag, singing ”I will survive”.
The Zapiro documentary was pulled from the Special Assignment show just before general elections in April.
At the time, Zapiro told the Mail & Guardian Online: ”I am angry, but not particularly surprised.
”This confirms yet again how spineless the top echelons of the SABC are. They are totally unbothered by notions of freedom of expression; they don’t have much regard for freedom of expression.
”They aren’t willing to let people make hard-hitting programmes or even analytical programmes about hard-hitting satire.
”This programme was not satire itself, but was analysing satire. It was an overarching thing about the sorts of satire that I and other satirists and comedians have been doing.”
The Times reported the show, which will be broadcast on Tuesday, had been updated and included an interview with Zapiro about his decision to detach the notorious shower head from Zuma’s head in his cartoons.
Special Assignment airs at 8.30pm on SABC 3 on Tuesday night. — Sapa