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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.
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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
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.
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