• Tweet

 Quite a few men have more than one wife. So what? Does that mean they are hanging their genitals? To a point where they are called stallions? That's rude and represents hatred 

RELATED ARTICLES

• ANC takes battle of The Spear to court
• Zuma, all blacks deserve respect
• 'Zuma nephew owes thousands in traffic fines'
• Big send-off for ANC's Phadagi
• Hi-tech smart ID cards to slam door on fraud, theft
• Pilot project mooted for youth subsidy
• Zuma remembers Sisulu

A COURT decision on the controversial painting depicting President Jacob Zuma's genitals will not change its crude, rude and racist nature, ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe said.

Mantashe said it would be interesting to see what would happen when he and other men attend proceedings on the matter in the Johannesburg High Court today with their genitals exposed.

"That is what the painting is saying ... that black people can walk around with their genitals hanging," he told journalists in Johannesburg at the weekend following the ANC National Executive Committee meeting.

"It doesn't matter what the court says, it (the painting) is crude, it's rude, it's violent, disrespect and it's racist," Mantashe said.

He slammed criticism of Zuma being a polygamist.

"Quite a few men have more than one wife. So what? Does that mean they are hanging their genitals? To a point where they are called stallions? That's rude and represents hatred," he said.

"When you abuse the right to expression, you destroy that right."

Zuma and the ANC are hoping to interdict Goodman's Gallery, where controversial artist Brett Murray's painting is displayed.

Goodman's Gallery is in the suburb of Parkwood in Johannesburg.

Mantashe said the leadership was convinced that the portrait violated Zuma's dignity and privacy.

Mantashe appeared to endorse a planned march by the Young Communist League (YCL) to rip off Murray's portrait, entitled The Spear, from the gallery.

He downplayed the risks of the march turning violent, saying it was people's reaction to the painting that was polarising society along racial lines.

"When people march, you can't say it's violence," said Mantashe.

YCL leader Buti Manamela acknowledged the court proceedings scheduled for today, but said some form of action was necessary to show disgust at the portrait.

The portrait, expected to be on display until June 16, shows Zuma with his pants unzipped and his private parts exposed.

The gallery has since rejected calls to remove the painting from display.

Mantashe said had it been a white leader depicted in such a disrespectful form by a black artist, the reaction would have been different.

He said the painting suggested that black people felt no pain, had no values and were just objects. "There can't be a right without responsibility. They must go together."

- nhlabathih@sowetan.co.za

Comments

• Sign in or sign up to comment

Mon May 20 10:04:20 SAST 2013 ::

May 22, 2012

RobinH

Complete wimp over-reaction of a bunch of nazis with a lot to hide. Of course the court decision won't restore the dignity of the office of the president. But don't blame Brett for destroying it's dignity. Zuma did that beautifully all by himself, with the help of his harem and a few dance-moves.
Report Abuse

May 22, 2012

MommaC

Clever. Turning into a race and polygamy issue when it has nothing to do with either. Disingenuous but clever - or maybe just another example of how dof Gwede really is?

I actually miss Malema. At least we were not bombarded by brainless bimbo tweets and flippin paintings. He was wrong most of the time but at least he had some relevance to real issues.
Report Abuse

May 22, 2012

asaowe

Black man u a on yr own, sum section of white SA still look @black man as a k@k unfortunately truth hurt,
Report Abuse

May 22, 2012

RobinH

Really predictable and rather poor rhetoric from a man completely out of touch with the real world.
Report Abuse

May 22, 2012

sarmologadi

Very true no court decision can restore his dignity, the moment he slept with so many women even out of wedlock thats when he lost his dignity to some of us. The worst thing is his mistress Ms Khoza is pregnant again with his 2nd kid, i am sure he will use out tax money to marry her as well, mxmmm yet he expect us to respect him, I for one i DONT respect him, period...
Report Abuse

May 22, 2012

KemangBosso

I dnt see anything wrong with the drawing cause it really depicts what our president is.
Report Abuse

May 22, 2012

truthhurt

This is not really an issue that should be taken to court, its about South Africans having respect for each other, Brett shows little of that through his artwork, and i dont understand why the ANC is involved in it, its a personal attack to Zuma not the ANC, They have enough problems to worry about e.g Youth, Unemployment,Poverty etc.
Report Abuse

May 22, 2012

mambaaai

the people are suffering with little or no service delivery......there are many urgent issues, getting no attention
Umkhonto we Sizwe
Report Abuse

May 22, 2012

hulas

If Mr President keeps his trousers zipped and behaves like states man there will be no painting.But no our president goes around with open zip,engaging in unprotected sex with young hiv positive daughter of his comrade against her will.It does not ends there he is busy spreading illegitimate children all over the place,at last count the toll was fifty something children.
Report Abuse

May 22, 2012

mambaaai

In SA we have Roman, Dutch law..... these kind of dipictions are cultural with Emporers being displayed in art..... look up things like.......... "Sexuality in Ancient Rome" and" Art in incient Rome" for example even in wikipedia
Report Abuse

Read all 487 comments

Comments are blocked for this article.