Happy world press freedom day everyone! And before you bleat about how there’s nothing much to be happy about, think about the big news in South Africa today: Julius Malema’s disciplinary hearing within the ANC.
This watershed moment for the out-of-control youth league president arrived in part because President Jacob Zuma was moved to finally publicly criticise Malema about his horrendous treatment of BBC journalist Jonah Fisher.
The great thing about the hearing is the people who will be hearing the case. You’ve probably read the analyses by now and grinned like I did at the ANC members selected to judge Malema. These are no pushovers and some have even openly criticised him in the past.
But they’re still going to need all the help they can get. Not only do they have to face the wrath of the league and its supporters throughout the party, the ANC’s national executive committee must still approve their report. They have to be hard-hitting but strategic, probing but diplomatic, and awesome but humble. They have to be superheroes.
Our democracy is at stake! The villains have taken over, and it’s time to haul out the bat signal.
So in honour of another special day that has just passed, I’ve lined up a few characters for some of the panel members to channel in their fight for the good, the just and the true.