Theatre Pulls Gupta's Finger

...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.

Paddy Harper, writing for City Press, reports that the cartoon illustrated a poster for the show 'Xse! You Ain’t Seen Nuthin Yet'. But Durban Theatre promoter Logan Moodley had asked that it be changed because he felt it would offend local theatregoers, many of whom attended shows with their children. Moodley asserts that there was no external pressure to withdraw the poster.

The show’s producer, Vanessa Kisten, took what she called a 'business decision' to change the image to one more 'suitable to family viewing', and so ordered the cartoon to be changed to an image of Zuma on Gupta’s palm, without any rude finger gestures.

Cartoonist Nanda Soobben was surprised by all the fuss. 

“The cartoon has already been published in the Big Issue magazine and in my calendar", he explained. “Everybody else seemed scared to use it. People seem scared, especially in KwaZulu-Natal.”

[A larger version of the cartoon was also previously published HERE on Africartoons]

Posted on Jan 20, 2014 by Africartoons