19 Mar 10 | Index Index, minipost, Uncategorized
The leader of the youth wing of South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) has been found guilty of hate speech. Julius Malema has been ordered to apologise for remarks he made last year, which suggested that the women who accused President Jacob Zuma of rape had enjoyed the experience. The prominent South African politician was ordered by the Equality Court to pay 50,000 rand to a shelter for abused women. Zuma was acquitted of rape in 2006 after he insisted that the sex with his accuser was consensual.
26 Nov 09 | Uncategorized
This is a guest post by Jenni Hulse
In Africa, where media repression is widespread and state-controlled broadcasters the norm, the success of a familiar form of televised political satire offers new hope for freedom of speech. South Africa’s ZA News and Kenya’s The XYZ Show are recognisable descendents of the UK’s Spitting Image and France’s Les Guignols, using latex puppets to ridicule major politicians and celebrities. Like their European predecessors, both shows are huge hits in their native countries, controversial in their content and provoke mixed reactions from the politicians they lampoon.
It is no coincidence that The XYZ Show and ZA News were both masterminded by political cartoonists. Print media in Kenya and South Africa enjoy relatively high levels of freedom and satirical cartoons, published in major dailies, are an important and popular form of political criticism.
(more…)
31 Jul 09 | Index Index, minipost
The Guardian has published an apology and has settled out of court for an undisclosed amount with the South African President. The paper had described president Zuma in an article as a rapist. President Zuma, although brought to court for both rape and corruption was not convicted as guilty. Read more here
05 Jun 09 | Index Index, minipost
The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) is charging the Mail and Guardian with theft, after the newspaper posted an episode of satirical programme ‘Special Assignment’ on its website.
Read more here
