In a twist to political satirist Jonathan Shapiro’s usual cartoons, the movie Kung Fu Panda 2 was used as the launch pad for the subject matter of this week’s Zapiro cartoon in the Mail and Guardian, which slated the prospect of Julius Malema’s expected second term as African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) leader. The ANCYL elective conference is currently under way in Midrand.
The cartoon depicts Malema as the league’s leader for a second term, drawing comparison with the sequel to Dreamworks Animation’s Kung Fu Panda with the words, “2nd term, twice the awfulness”, below the cartoon.
In it he kicks aside characters representing ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe; Cabinet minister and leader of the South African Communist Party Blade Nzimande; the media; President Jacob Zuma; rivals of his within the league; leader of the Congress of South African Trade Unions, Zwelinzima Vavi; members of the blogosphere; and Democratic Alliance leader Helen Zille.
Malema has endured many public confrontations as leader of the league, including spats with members of the media and leaders of the alliance. The insinuation that his second term as leader may be more controversial than the first was echoed recently by members of the alliance, with Nzimande saying the biggest threat to democracy was “factionalism led by a dangerous right-wing demagogy within our broader movement”.
And last week the Sunday Times reported comments by Vavi that South Africa could become a “banana republic” if the youth league and other members of the alliance succeed in getting rid of Zuma as president and Gwede Mantashe as party secretary general.
The youth league’s conference began on June 16 and continues until June 20.
For the latest on the ANC Youth League conference click here:
