Zapiro is no enemy of democracy

The president of South African begins legal proceedings against Zapiro for exercising his constitutional and journalistic rights to freedom of speech and expression. This move should draw universal, unequivocal, international opposition, derision and condemnation. It is a blatant attack on freedom of press, and a heavy-handed attempt to gag South African media - and by extension all African media – from future criticisms of Zuma.

And Pambazuka runs this article by Annar Cassam that suggests Zapiro - and individual cartoonist, doing his job and expressing his personal opinions on matters of the day - is an enemy of "democracy" in South Africa. I had to read the piece twice. Because the first time around, it didn't seem credible that Pambazuka could carry something this disingenous, hypocritical, and outrageously pandering to an agenda of state repression. After the second reading, I am forced to conclude that however incredible it seems, Pambazuka can. And has. I am discouraged and disappointed.