When no news is good news

The dilemma faced by cartoonists over the holiday period is that all the politicians and other news makers go on holiday too so today I was faced with drawing a cartoon about Nelson Mandela coming out of hospital or about the dire road fatality rate. Well, you don't joke about the nation's favourite old man when he's sick, so I had to think about the road deaths. South Africans seem to have a death wish when behind the wheel and with the holidays only half done and the death rate already over 1000, how does one make this remotely humorous? When in doubt, drag up an old joke and retell it. Here's the old overtaking/undertaking concept made tragically new again because one of the major causes of road death seems to be reckless overtaking. Sometimes I'm glad to stuck in my studio over the holidays - at least I'm off the roads.

Past their sell-by date

The ANC has decided it needs to do some serious fund-raising and has come up with some seemingly not so serious ways of doing this. Seems to me the ANC has sold the whole country down the river years ago.

Party split

Good move Kgalema. Try to do something ethical in the ANC and they'll walk all over you.

ExYLed

Out in the cold and nowhere to go. I think many South African are feeling between a rock and a hard place. With Jacob Zuma re-elected by the faithful, we are not sure what to expect apart from more of the same. The only positive is that old JUJU and his pals stay out in the cold without a snowball's chance of getting back into the ANC fold.

Trevor drops a bomb

Minister for National Planning, Trevor Manuel, has declined a nomination to the ANC National Executive, saying he wants to make room for the younger generation. Methinks he no longer wants to be associated with the kleptocrats in the ruling party. Good move, clever Trevor, you know when to make a plan!

Keeping the lid on

The SABC is adamant to show itself as biased and only representing the Zuma faction of the ruling party in the run up to the Mangaung conference.Now they've canned an interview with controversial cartoonist Zapiro. Even without cartoons, the government and their sycophants are the laughing stock of the country.

Never talk religion and politics

Be careful of getting into the face of someone from a spiritual perspective when they have an ANC card and therefore a direct line to Heaven.

Charity begins at home

Those generous Santas to the greater population of SA, The department of Social Development, are at it again. Following the lead of their illustrious leader, Minister Bathabile Dhlamini, who favours staying in the Radison Blu Hotel, the Westin Grand Arabella Quays, the One & Only hotel and the Hilton in Durban when visiting the "very rural areas", the East Cape Department of Social development has been on a spending spree and has run out of money, three months before the financial year ends. This is the same department that has, again following the Minister's example, become involved in a controversy earlier this year for its exorbitant spending on luxury accommodation and travel for senior officials, including MEC Pemmy Majodina. Their Seasonal message to the taxpayer - "Remember it is more blessed to give than to receive " !

shadow boxing

Will it be a TKO or will Motlanthe stand up and step into the ring ? Who knows - ANC politics is all smoke and mirrors anyway.

Kak service but betaal anyway

Accountability - obviously a word that doesn't appear in any government documentation. Mr Masualle, one question, if the financial buck for the province stops with you, how can you bemoan the poor audit results ? fire yourself !

blinnkered outlook

How can the man make such utterances that are just patently obviously untrue? Seems like he's making a horse's @$$ out of himself.

bad eggs

Five Eastern Cape municipalities are about to be put under administration by the local Government due to poor delivery and paralysis of the councils by ANC factions fighting for control. Come on ANC, get rid of the rotten eggs and the stink of corruption.

building up a head of steam

The run up to the Mangaung conference highlights the devastating split in the ANC although the top brass are busy blowing smoke to hide this possible derailment of the gravy train.

fight to the finish

medical emergency

Our emergency medical services are currently on an illegal strike and have effectively shut down most of the regions hospitals. Naturally we sympathize with their pay problems but when there are stories of intimidation, shooting at patient transport vehicles and comments such as "if they die, they die", then it becomes another matter. As if public healthcare was not risky enough in this province !