Zapiro's Blog, page 61

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From the Ancient Games to the Modern Paralympics

The origins of the Olympic games are in fact nearly 3,000 years old.  Back then, there were fewer sporting events and athletes were only allowed to compete if they were men and spoke Greek, no women were allowed.  Like the Modern Games, the Ancient Games brought together the best athletes to compete, but there were also awards for poets, writers and musicians. The Ancient Games were always held in Greece and didn’t move from country to country. The games that we recognise today as the Olympic Games is much more recent. Following a revival in interest in the ancient Greek competition, the first modern Olympic Games were held in Athens in 1896. The Paralympics are even more recent with the first official games held in 1960. The Paralympic Games is a major international multi-sport event, involving athletes with a range of physical and intellectual disabilities, including mobility disabilities, amputations, blindness, and cerebral palsy. Given the wide variety of disabilities that Paralympic athletes have, there are several categories in which the athletes compete. The allowable disabilities are broken down into six broad categories. The categories are amputee, cerebral palsy, intellectual disability, wheelchair, visually impaired, and Les Autres (literally "The Others", which are athletes with disabilities that do not fall into the other five categories; these include dwarfism, multiple sclerosis, and congenital disorders). These categories are further broken down into classifications, which vary from sport to sport.

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Fracking in the Karoo - Unsuspended

The South African Government  lifts a 14-month moratorium on exploring shale gas in the Karoo using the controversial fracking method.  Royal Dutch Shell and other  oil companies can now start work on determining the extent of the country's shale-gas resources.  The decision was based on recommendations contained in the report on shale gas exploration prepared by the technical task team,  The anti-fracking lobby group, the Treasure Karoo Action Group, is calling for Mineral Resources Minister Susan Shabangu to release the report that informed cabinet to lift the moratorium on the exploration of shale gas in the Karoo. Zapiro's cartoon simulates the classical fire prevention poster featuring a young deer crying, which was prominent in the Western Cape in the 1970's and 1980s.

 

 

 

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Vavi on the couch at the Shrink. Is there a Cure to Schizofrenia and Denialism?

Zwelenzima Vavi, Secretary-General of Cosatu is not afraid to speak his mind.  He frequently speaks out against his tripartite allies in the ANC. He is  vehemently opposed to the 'info bill'. He speaks out against corruption all the time, slamming tenderpreneurs, and in support of lifestyle audits (to expose people living way beyond their means), Vavi tries to be the conscience of today's tripartie government, which includes both COSATU and the ANC.  Zapiro's cartoon shows Vavi on the couch suffering from both schizofrenia and denialism.

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The Case of Judge Hlophe - Coming Home to Roost

 The Judicial Conduct Committee   has recommended to the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) that a tribunal be appointed to investigate a complaint by Constitutional Court judges against Western Cape Judge President John Hlophe. Judicial tribunals are normally set up only to deal with serious allegations that could result in a judge’s impeachment.  Hlophe is in trouble because of his professional or perhaps non-professional behaviour  in supporting Zuma before he became President. Now President Jacob Zuma has been urged to immediately suspend him. The saga started when a complaint was lodged in 2008.   Seven of the 11 sitting Constitutional Court judges complained that Hlophe had tried to improperly influence two of its judges to rule in favour of President Jacob Zuma in a case involving the country's multi-billion rand arms deal.

 

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Who is Calling the Kettle Black?

Criminal charges have been laid against the firebrand former leader of the African National Congress Youth League, Julius Malema, for inflaming tensions at mines hit by unrest. Public Protector Thuli Madonsela late last year launched a probe into Malema’s alleged influence in the issuing of tenders related to On-Point Engineering, Limpopo’s department of roads and transport and his Ratanang family trust. Malema is also under investigation by the South African Revenue Service (SARS) for alleged outstanding tax liabilities. Zapiro's cartoon shows Julius Malema working up the stricking miners at the Marikana mine by accusing the goverment and government supported unions for being corrupt and enriching themselves, while he himself is under a probe into allegations of fraud and corruption.   There are many questions over Julius Malema's business interests and how he acquired his own, often flaunted, wealth.

© 2012 Zapiro / www.zapiro.com (All rights reserved)

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Charged with Murder for being Shot by Police

270 arrested Lonmin miners faced murder charges related to the deaths of 34 of their colleagues in line with "outdated" apartheid law but on Sunday, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) announced that murder charges were being dropped. The charges were based on the "common purpose" doctrine because the miners were in the crowd that allegedly incited police. The "common purpose" doctrine was used in the past by the old apartheid government against black activists fighting for their freedom. The contradiction is that the ANC campaigned against this doctrine and now they are using it themselves. In all this public outcry, which has led to the temporary dropping of the charges, those responsible for bringing the charges to court, namely the Acting National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP),Nomgcobo Jiba, and North West NPA prosecutions director Johan Smit have not admitted any error in their decision. Johan Smit in fact lost his cool at a media briefing saying "I'm not in the habit of arguing my cases in the media. If you feel you have better evidence than what I have before me, you can argue in court in their defence."

© 2012 Zapiro / www.zapiro.com (All rights reserved)

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Is hiding in an Equadorian Embassy the answer for Tony Blair?

Ex-Prime Minister Tony Blair, visiting South Africa as a guest speaker at the Discovery Leadership Summit, comes under attack from Arch-Bishop Desmond Tutu and protesters from the Muslim political party Al Jama-ah, who want to arrest him in order him face trial in the Hague as a war criminal.  Ganief Hendriks (leader of Al Jama-ah) said  "It is hoped that one or more demonstrators will be able to make a citizen's arrest on the day and put Tony Blair in jail and extradite him to the Hague for trial. "  Lke Julian Assange in London, Zapiro's cartoon suggests that Blair approach the Ecudorian embassy and ask for political asylum.

© 2012 Zapiro / www.zapiro.com (All rights reserved)

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Bye Bye Jimmi Manyi

Manyi's three-year contract as Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) CEO and Cabinet spokesman has ended. The Presidency has announced that it will NOT renew his three year contract. He joined GCIS in February 2011 from the department of labour, where he was transferred to complete the rest of his contract as director general in the public service. The government said "Mr Jimmy Manyi was very instrumental in communicating government programmes, particularly the five priorities of government to the people of South Africa. He has made a good contribution to government communication and Cabinet communication processes. On behalf of the president, Cabinet and government I would like to thank Mr Manyi for his contribution to government communication". However Political analyst Adam Habib told the Mail & Guardian that Manyi had left one of the worst legacies as a government communicator.  He had alienated Cabinet ministers and made provocative statements. Instead of conveying government news he became the subject of news - not what you want from the head of the GCIS.  His abrasive style  of communication was his biggest downfall. Furthermore he often did not observe government protocol. 

© 2012 Zapiro / www.zapiro.com (All rights reserved)

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Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Tony BLIAR

South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu is withdrawing from a conference in Johannesburg to protest the attendance of Tony Blair. Tutu said that Blair’s lies prevented him from sharing stage with him.  Blair's office said that Tony Blair is obviously sorry that the archbishop has decided to pull out now from an event that has been fixed for months and where he and the archbishop were never actually sharing a platform,.

© 2012 Zapiro / www.zapiro.com (All rights reserved)

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The Three Armstrongs - Hall of Fame or Hall of Infamy?

Zapiro's cartoon show the three Armstrongs at the Hall of Fame, Louis, Neil and Lance. Louis Armstrong (1901 –  1971), nicknamed Satchmo or Pops, was an internationally famous Afro-American jazz trumpeter and singer from New Orleans, Louisiana. Neil Armstrong , who recently died on 25 August 2012, was an American astronaut and the first person to walk on the Moon. Lance Armstrong born in 1971 and winner of the Tour de France record seven timeswinner  between 1999 and 2005. He miraculously survived testicular cancer. .Recently he was declared guilty of being a drug cheat and stripped of those medalls by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency  (USADA). He now belongs to the Hall of Infamy rather than Fame.

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