NEW FACE: President Jacob Zuma's controversial painting has been vandalised at the Goodman Gallery. PHOTO: ELIZABETH SEJAKE
The smearing of the painting depicting President Jacob Zuma with his genitals exposed was a political statement, one of two men accused of defacing the work said at the Johannesburg Regional Court today
“It was my spoilt ballot paper,” the man, 58, said as he waited to appear in court on a charge of malicious damage to property.
He allegedly made two large red crosses on the painting, one over Zuma’s genitals, another over his head.
He said he did not know the other man accused of smearing black paint over the work, and that he only met him after they were both arrested.
The man said it was not about art, but rather a political issue which had become a race issue. He would only comment in detail later about his actions.
George Moyo, who appeared earlier at the Hillbrow Magistrate’s Court after allegedly attempting to spray paint the word “respect” on a wall of the Goodman gallery, was at the Johannesburg Regional Court in a show of support for the two accused men.
He had appeared in the Hillbrow Magistrate’s Court.
“No comment,” said George Moyo, clean shaven and neatly dressed in a Prince of Wales check suit and spectacles, when asked why he did it.
The only information he would share was that he was not an artist, but a businessman.
He did not sit in the dock during his court appearance on Wednesday. When Moyo’s name was called, he walked into the court from the public gallery door and joined the end of the dock.
Moyo’s lawyer, Busi Mbokazi, secured his bail of R1000. The matter was postponed to June 14 for further investigation on a charge of malicious damage to property.
Outside the court, four women in African National Congress colours sang for him and said they would support him. When the lone television camera had stopped rolling, they stopped singing.
Click below to view the footage of the incident at the gallery
'Zuma Spear smear was a political statement'
The smearing of the painting depicting President Jacob Zuma with his genitals exposed was a political statement, one of two men accused of defacing the work said at the Johannesburg Regional Court today
“It was my spoilt ballot paper,” the man, 58, said as he waited to appear in court on a charge of malicious damage to property.
He allegedly made two large red crosses on the painting, one over Zuma’s genitals, another over his head.
He said he did not know the other man accused of smearing black paint over the work, and that he only met him after they were both arrested.
The man said it was not about art, but rather a political issue which had become a race issue. He would only comment in detail later about his actions.
George Moyo, who appeared earlier at the Hillbrow Magistrate’s Court after allegedly attempting to spray paint the word “respect” on a wall of the Goodman gallery, was at the Johannesburg Regional Court in a show of support for the two accused men.
He had appeared in the Hillbrow Magistrate’s Court.
“No comment,” said George Moyo, clean shaven and neatly dressed in a Prince of Wales check suit and spectacles, when asked why he did it.
The only information he would share was that he was not an artist, but a businessman.
He did not sit in the dock during his court appearance on Wednesday. When Moyo’s name was called, he walked into the court from the public gallery door and joined the end of the dock.
Moyo’s lawyer, Busi Mbokazi, secured his bail of R1000. The matter was postponed to June 14 for further investigation on a charge of malicious damage to property.
Outside the court, four women in African National Congress colours sang for him and said they would support him. When the lone television camera had stopped rolling, they stopped singing.
Click below to view the footage of the incident at the gallery
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