Zuma insulted under artistic guise: Radebe

“We support the [ANC Women’s League] women in saying, while exercising your rights, you must not violate the rights of others. The President is also a citizen of this country. He deserves respect in his role as our head of state and head of the national executive,” Radebe said.

“The insults that are being meted out to the President under the pretext of culture and artistic expression must be condemned for what it is. It is profanity in its worst order.”

Radebe made the remarks shortly after receiving a memorandum from ANC Women’s League President Bathabile Dlamini at the Union Buildings in Pretoria.

Dlamini led the ANCWL protest from Pretoria central to the seat of government.

In her address to the crowd, Dlamini said people who criticised the ANC Women’s League march in defence of Zuma’s “dignity” have short memories.

“Everyone is saying the ANCWL is defending a man and not defending other women. They say there are issues that affect women that we have not acted on. They have short memories,” she said at the Union Buildings.

“Immediately after our election, we were part of the march to do with Oscar Pistorius. Also, we are from the conference which took a decision that was on fighting violence against women and children”.

Several artists, including Chomee, shouted “hands off our President”, while gospel artist Deborah Frazer sent the crowd into a frenzy when she performed some of her hit songs.

Dlamini urged the crowd of ANCWL supporters to defend Zuma’s dignity.

“We have to defend our democracy. We have to defend the gains we have made. We have to defend our leadership, more particularly, we have to defend the president of the ANC, Jacob Zuma,” said Dlamini.

“Why do we have to do this? Because comrade Jacob Zuma is the president of the ANC and the ANC is the leader of society. He is also the president of the country. We are saying President Zuma has dignity like all of us and it has to be respected”.

She said the ANCWL was “tired of people always insulting our leaders”.

Earlier, Dlamini told reporters that continually complaining about Ayanda Mabulu’s controversial artwork was only going to promote it.

“I actually don’t have a problem with that person who did that sculpture (painting). We are not going to continually talk about that person because he is going to get support,” she told reporters in Pretoria.

“If we continually attack him, he will get support. Artists must work hard on their own to get recognition, but what they are doing right now is to steal what they are having.”

She said the message from the protest march centered on respect.

“Our message is that South Africans must defend the revolution. They must not just move with everyone who has never proved love for South African people, who disrespect adults. There is no way we are going to allow people to disrespect adults,” she said.

“If people want power, they must work (for) it.”

The march on Friday also commemorated OR Tambo month.

Some women were wearing their trademark green and black uniforms while others wore yellow ANC t-shirts bearing an image of Zuma’s face.

In a statement earlier this week, the ANCWL said: “We condemn the denigration of the image of President Zuma by so-called artists. For example, recently the portrayal of the president’s genitals in the mouth of a woman.”

In recent years there have been a number of paintings depicting the president with exposed genitals, sparking outrage in certain quarters and a heated defence of freedom of expression from others.

This week Zuma’s son Edward said he was upset by the denigration of his father and warned that he would “deal with” Mabulu if ever they were to meet.

ANA

File photo: Gallo Images