Cabinet formally condemns Zuma painting
Image by: KEVIN SUTHERLAND
Cabinet has formally condemned "The Spear", the Brett Murray painting of President Jacob Zuma with exposed genitals, as an insult to his dignity, office and culture.
Save & Share
Related News
-
Censors rate Spear 16N for nudity
-
Brown Dash beats Zuma's Spear in Google searches
-
'No right is absolute': Zuma
-
ANC and gallery make up
-
Numsa's jobless plan
-
South Africans must listen when others are weeping
-
Future lies in young hands
-
The Spear saga comes to a close: Video
"Cabinet expressed its disapproval of the Brett Murray portrait that depicted the president in a denigrating manner," it said in a statement on Friday.
"This depiction also showed disrespect for the office of the president and the culture that he shares with millions of people."
It added that while the government supported freedom of expression, this right should be exercised with sensitivity and "should not undermine the fundamental right to human dignity of the president and/or any citizen of the country".
The Film and Publication Board on Friday imposed a 16N rating on the painting, which was vandalised last Tuesday. This means that any museum or publication that shows the image will have to put in place mechanisms to prevent children under 16 seeing it.
SHARE YOUR OPINION
If you have an opinion you would like to share on this article, please send us an e-mail to the Times LIVE iLIVE team. In the mean time, click here to view the Times LIVE iLIVE section.