The upcoming documentary, The Showerhead, provides a compelling exploration of the corruption that has seeped into South Africa’s government.
Spanning 110 minutes, the insightful documentary centres on Jonathan Shapiro, better known as Zapiro, and his influential career as a political cartoonist.
The documentary delves into how Zapiro’s work, particularly his infamous Showerhead cartoon, critiques and reflects upon South African political and social issues.
It examines the impact of his satire on public discourse and his role in challenging authority through humour and art.
The cartoon specifically targets former South African president Jacob Zuma, using the metaphor of a showerhead to symbolise Zuma’s controversial sexual assault case and broader political scandals.
Zapiro’s new work revisits the emotions and controversies from Zuma’s presidency, offering a critical perspective on his string of misconduct.
When he was deputy president, Zuma had been leading the Moral Regeneration Movement and the National Aids Council yet caught up in a rape scandal.
Reducing the risk of contracting HIV
The situation took a dramatic turn when Zuma admitted in court to having unprotected sex with the woman involved, claiming he took a shower afterwards to reduce the risk of HIV.
This revelation led Zapiro to depict Zuma with a showerhead on his head, shaping the public’s visual perception of him.
Throughout his presidency, Zuma faced numerous legal challenges, with some of Zapiro’s drawings showing him in compromising positions, ready to assault Lady Justice, symbolising the justice system — this was depicted in a 2008 drawing.
The art became a series that later featured the alliances forcing down Lady Justice with closed eyes; at some point Lady Justice was fighting back, further illustrating Zapiro’s unyielding critique.
Despite facing several lawsuits, Shapiro remained resolute in exposing Zuma’s character through his art.
The documentary also highlights Zuma’s role in exposing his own corruption and mismanagement within the ANC before he assumed the presidency.
In addition, the documentary touches upon prominent figures like Nelson Mandela, Thabo Mbeki, and Cyril Ramaphosa.
As Zuma now campaigns for the presidency under the newly formed MK Party, the documentary may provoke questions about whether his approach has genuinely evolved over time.
