It is Zuma who should be doing the apologising

IT should be mandatory for Jacob Zuma, his entire family and all the top ANC politicians to see Brett Murray's satiric, acerbic and thought-provoking Hail to the Thief 11 exhibition - "Zumas lash out at artist" (May 20).It may give them a wake-up call.Murray has graphically depicted, in savage red, yellow and black imagery, exactly how the average South African is feeling about the present government. It's a throat-gripping, stomach-tightening show of the rising rage against the corruption, pillage and abuse, and misuse of power by the ruling party. The Zuma Spear painting, in fact, pales into insignificance compared with the powerful messages behind the bronzes, etchings, paintings and silk-screens of the whole exhibit. It is Zuma who should be apologising. Apologising for his behaviour, for his lavish lifestyle. As titular head of South Africa's whole greedy, amoral, corrupt and festering leadership, right down to some of the most disastrous local governance this country has ever seen, Zuma has made a laughing stock of himself and brought shame upon us all. - Jacqueline Truzzell, by e-mail

EVERY right in this country is accompanied by responsibility; freedom of speech does not give any individual the right to insult other citizens, and the same goes to the freedom of expression. The portrait is shocking, mischievous and an insult to the nation, family and Zuma himself.This is not the freedom our fathers died for. It is tantamount to a national broadcaster broadcasting a pornographic movie. Let me remind you, Mr Murray, that exposing human genitals in public is a laughing matter to you but to us it brings tears . I guess you will make a killing with the painting. It gives you a lot of free publicity, but the n ation, family and men you insulted will always have an indelible mark. A reminder to you : we forgave in 1994 and we are trying hard to forget, but your school of thought is not assisting us . Put some pants in that portrait and restore our dignity; being the nation we are, we will forgive you again. - Ntokozo Maphisa, by e-mail

I WAS astonished at some of the statements made, specifically ". in our culture the parading of private parts is something that is a shame and is considered as showing disrespect to that person and others". I have to say that disrespect is often shown to me by males of the complainants' culture, whipping out their private parts to urinate willy-nilly (pun intended) wherever these males happen to be. I find it to be very disrespectful and cannot understand how your complainants can claim it is against their culture when it is one of the most common practices in this country. - Keep it zipped, Secunda

THE naked emperor indeed! Let those close to him lie to his face, but as a loyal member of the ANC (an African and a woman), I say our president had better fasten his zip! - NL Mtshali, by SMS

IN light of the JZ portrait, if I were Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma I would: Accept that the task of leading this country was a bridge too far for me; Concede that I have created a state which is a free-for-all with my own departments fighting each other; Admit that I have lost the confidence of the nation; Assent that I dug my own grave and eroded my own integrity; Concur that I have made questionable appointments and have thus been forced to fire them sooner rather than later; Agree that the country is united that it does not want me to return as its president for a second term; and Accept that I don't know how to separate state affairs from those of the ANC as well as my family.If I was Jacob Zuma, I would do the honourable thing and step down with the little integrity that I have left. - Gaza Ndlovu, by e-mail

THE Zuma painting, if it is seen as only reflecting on JZ (although I do feel his dignity had been tarred) can be debated. But if it is interpreted as humiliating black people in general, which many black people indeed do feel, that is frightfully dangerous, tragic and sad, and can only backfire. It's a well-known psychological fact that humiliation of a people always ultimately backlashes. Afrikaners were humiliated by the British and the English; ultimately we got 1948. Besides that (and I'm an Afrikaner) I too feel humiliated, because despite all the things we're angry about (and justifiably so), Zuma is the president of our country. It's a despicable painting - even if as an artwork it may be brilliant. - Hélène Lewis, by e-mail

THE Spear artist deserves our respect for honesty, integrity and love. - Mzi, by SMS

ART shouldn't be censored. That penis has been depicted artistically. Why the hullabaloo, as though that is a photographic image? It's high time we get over ourselves and grow up. - Mosima, Pretoria

His master's nakedness

READING Dave Steward apologising for FW de Klerk's real views on apartheid in "FW's journey from apartheid to democracy" (May 20), was like reading a novel. Now that De Klerk's true colours are revealed, Steward distorts history to cover his master's nakedness. He fails to mention that PW Botha commanded death squads responsible for the massacre of thousands of black people. He omits to tell us that the massive social ills we have in this country are an inheritance of the violent system that Botha espoused and defended. De Klerk didn't "conclude" that apartheid was "morally unjustifiable", he was forced by the black masses to abandon his morally repugnant experiment. Steward and De Klerk are serious contenders for joint Mampara of the Year. - Lwando Norman, Johannesburg

DAVE Steward fails terribly to do a spin on behalf of his racist boss.South Africa is better off without De Klerk and history will judge him. Many black people were killed under him as president! - Lebowa Letsoalo, by e-mail

ANOTHER view by Dave Steward is a most concise and accessible history lesson about separate development. - Liz van der Merwe, by SMS