Bushwacked by Zapiro (2002-12-31) Paperback – January 1, 1637

Zapiro is a familiar name in South Africa, a kind of Steven Bell, only more so. His cartoons often cut deep, and after several years have at last annoyed the ruling ANC leadership to the extent of threatened court action for libel.The cartoons in this selection date from 2001/2, starting with 9/11 (a very fine tribute to its victims) and working up into a series of cartoons on the Afghan War and Iraq crisis: George W Bush, and to a lesser extent, Tony Blair, feature prominently. Other foreign targets include Mugabe, presiding over yet another election 'victory' in 1992. But most are directed against South African targets, especially Mandela's lacklustre successor Thabo Mbeki, who appears with his trademark pipe, and the fragmentation of the official opposition to the ANC govenrment. To those au fait with South African politics, the array of corrupt/ignorant/uncaring figures who are targetted by Zapiro's sharp pen will be familiar, but there is sufficient in this book to hold the attention of those who admire satirists of this calibre and personal bravery in what is still a very young democracy.