But it is sad to see this cardinal virtue debased and trivialised in the shameless defence of stark insolence and a repulsive prurience. Some need reminding that freedom of expression aspires to loftier ideals than the vulgar parading of people's genitals.

If your culture accepts that you can insult your father and show him naked, you think it gives you a licence to go about insulting the fathers of other people.

Under whatever guise, it is wrong.

It is a tribute to President Jacob Zuma and the ruling party that even in the face of such extreme and brazen provocation, the ruling party still plays according to the rules and acts within the law.

For those with any memory, Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe was once like that.