News: May 2013

PRESIDENT DROPS REMAINING CHARGES

In a brief announcement by his spokesperson Mac Maharaj on May 31st, President Jacob Zuma made it known that he is to drop all remaining defamation charges against various media entities.This follows last October's withdrawal of charges in Zuma's high profile case against cartoonist Zapiro. The latest decision was made in the interests of nation building, said the statement, but legal experts have suggested that the President would have risked more collatoral damage if he were to persue the cases than anything he had to gain.While Africartoons welcomes the news which we felt was inevitable, we remain cautious.Threats of an Anti-insult Law ('to protect the dignity of the presidency'), the state's commitment to the Secrecy Bill, and other measures aimed against free expression are evidence enough that this development does not signify a positive change in direction by the government. [READ ON]