News

CUAN MILES WINS 2014 SIKUVILE JOURNALISM AWARD, MGOBHOZI AND JERM ALSO RECOGNISED.

East London cartoonist Cuan MILES of the Daily Dispatch has won the coveted Standard Bank Sikuvile Journalism Award for the Editorial Cartoons category, edging out two award winning cartoonists; Wilson MGOBHOZI (The Star) and JERM (eNCA.com).

...AND THE PRESIDENT'S FINGERS TOO!

A Natal Theatre company has pulled a poster by Durban cartoonist Nanda Soobben which features President Zuma presenting his two middle fingers in a double 'Up Yours' fashion, while purching on the middle finger of his notorious benefactor, Atul Gupta.

It was with great sadness that the South African cartooning community learned of the passing of fellow cartoonist Myke Ashley-Cooper on Tuesday. Myke filled a niche with what he called his 'lewd cartoons', but will be most remembered for bringing South African cartoonists across every genre together for the first time in a digital space, with his website http://www.cartoonist.co.za/. The site, and Myke's encouragement provided inspiration for the establishment of africartoons.com (which focuses on editorial cartoons).

Myke did a rare socio-political cartoon for Africartoons when Brett Murray's painting 'The Spear' converged social commentary with the sexual themes that Myke was more familiar with. But his observation (http://africartoons.com/cartoon/8037) demonstrates an interest in matters political, if only to wonder which of our presidents has been the biggest dick!

A memorial service will be held next Friday, 1 November, at 11:00am at Oude Raapkraal, Westlake Avenue, Lakeside. Africartoons will publish a full tribute to Myke afterwards.

[see a sample of Myke's book 'LOO(D) CARTOONS, and order a copr here: http://loocartoons.com/

FROM EWN to eNCA

Less than a year since Jerm took up a position as South Africa's first online editorial cartoonist with dynamic media group Prime Media's Eyewitness News (EWN), the cartoonist has accepted an offer from competing news service, eNCA. The cartoonist told africartoons that he agonised over the decision, as he was very happy at EWN, but the prospects of crossing over to television had won him over. He'll be drawing four cartoons a week for the news channel's website, and has hinted at a TV offering as well. 

Jerm's short career has been punctuated by many firsts: - He became the first editorial cartoonist to work at 'The Times' after the daily tabloid was launched.- He then moved to 'The New Age' where he pioneered their cartoon space, before being dismissed after editorial differences with that paper.- EWN soon snapped him up to innovate South Africa's first digital cartooning space, creating talking points for their associated radio stations.- And now eNCA has invited Jerm to pioneer its online cartoon offering, which it will carry over to their TV news network.Read Jerm and eNCA's statements here...