Jacob Zuma, ANC President, has been getting most of the media attention in South Africa as the entire country awaits, with baited breath, the outcome of his trial. Zuma has denied a number of charges, including money-laundering and corruption. The Pietermaritzburg court is due to decide today on whether or not to dismiss the case.

In the media, however, one example stands out starkly and has even garnered Zuma’s personal attack. Jonathan Shapiro a.k.a. Zapiro, South Africa’s foremost political cartoonist has put out a scathing cartoon on Jacob Zuma, commenting on the outcome of the current trial as well as his support base of various ANC allies.

InTheNews says...

As most had expected when they saw this cartoon in the Sunday Times, Zuma was not going to take this cartoon lightly and it is suggested that he is going to sue Zapiro. Zuma would be suing Zapiro for defamation. This would not be the first time as in the past Zapiro published cartoons of Zuma after his acquital on charges of rape in 2006.

This didn’t stop Zapiro though, just today he published his latest cartoon on Zuma commenting directly on the previous one.

What the outcome of Zuma’s trial will be today has everyone on edge, simply becuase if the trial is allowed to continue and not be dismissed, Zuma’s supporters have already promised protests and widespread violence in support of the man. If the trial is dismissed ,we have a potential candidate for the South African Presidency who is accused of heinous crimes mentioned above. regarding the particular charge of corruption, Zuma’s financial Advisor Schabir Shaik is already in jail serving a sentence for having a “generally corrupt” relationship with Jacob Zuma. What I couldn’t understand from this conviction was that it takes two people to be involved in corruption, and right now only one of them is convicted.

This casts a heavy shadow around Jacob Zuma when it comes to his morals and values, and this fact alone scares the hell out of many South Africans should he be allowed to run for the country’s Presidency.