Former Hawks head Lt Gen Godfrey Lebeya publicly questioned the Big Five label applied to him and his unit. The designation refers to the focus on five priority crime areas under South African anti-corruption efforts. The exchange highlights tensions over how the Hawks prioritize cases involving senior officials and organized crime. The cartoon frames Lebeya's denial as an attempt to distance himself from the label's implications for accountability.
Airlink flights near a major rugby stadium have prompted direct warnings to the All Blacks team and fans about the danger of a stadium fireball. The incident underscores ongoing tensions between aviation safety protocols and large public events. The cartoon argues that intense rugby loyalty is leading supporters to accept unacceptable risks to life.
Dolly Parton performs a farewell serenade to Earth in a Zapiro cartoon published by the Daily Maverick. The piece uses the iconic song to frame a lighthearted yet pointed sendoff amid ongoing global environmental concerns. The editorial position highlights affection for the planet even as challenges mount.
The Springboks rugby team faced ongoing criticism for handling errors and scrum vulnerabilities in matches against strong opponents like the All Blacks. The cartoon uses repeated failure motifs to argue that South African performance has deteriorated into consistent mistakes that opponents exploit easily.
Fadiel Adams, a South African politician, faces ongoing scrutiny over inconsistent public statements. The piece highlights repeated instances of evasion and distortion in his responses. It portrays these patterns as self-entangling constraints on his credibility.
Fadiel Adams, an MP, told the Madlanga Commission his parliamentary laptop froze or broke daily since he received a witness request. The claim follows a pattern of delays in high-profile inquiries involving political figures. The piece highlights the excuse as the latest in a series of avoidance tactics, underscoring skepticism toward repeated claims that stall accountability processes.
Witnesses face sudden madlangaphobia on testimony day, prompting hospital admissions in the Madlanga Ward. The development raises questions about participation in ongoing proceedings. The piece highlights the pattern of avoidance through exaggerated medical framing.
The cartoon depicts a caricature of Jacob Zuma in a red jumpsuit launching a rocket labeled big-time corruption WhatsApps. He holds two assault rifles as smoke billows and a question about a potential jail term appears on the left. The image responds to ongoing South African corruption inquiries involving leaked WhatsApp messages around mid-2026.
Zapiro's July 2026 cartoon mocks ANC renewal claims by showing the Minister of Social Development post swapped from Sisisi Tolashe to Dina Pule, with the party figure declaring removal of corrupt cadres only to replace them with others. The image responds to recent ANC efforts at internal reform and minister reshuffles in South Africa amid persistent allegations of cadre deployment and graft in government departments.
A two-panel cartoon contrasts a South African police officer in uniform demanding a pass during apartheid with a figure in traditional attire and South African flag sash making a similar demand in a modern setting. The bottom banner labels the comparison 'Apartheid Then and Now.' The work appears in the Daily Maverick dated 1-7-26 and is signed by Zapiro.
Zapiro cartoon from Daily Maverick shows two groups on a divided map shape. Upper figures walk with luggage on June 30. Lower cluster holds March and March sign and declares mission accomplished in speech bubble dated around June 29 2026.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa seeks a court interdict to halt impeachment proceedings tied to the Phala Phala farm scandal. The June 2026 cartoon depicts him warning of reputation damage while a Swiss-cheese figure highlights alleged forex issues, stalled investigations and ConCourt ruling delays that echo Jacob Zuma tactics.
Zapiro created this tribute illustration of Abdullah Ibrahim following the South African jazz pianist's death in 2026. The drawing shows Ibrahim at the keyboard with titles of his well-known works arrayed around him, including Mannenberg, District Six, Soweto Is Where It's At, African Suite, and others drawn from his discography spanning decades of performances rooted in Cape Town and broader African musical traditions.
On June 19, 2026, a cartoon shows Donald Trump at a podium criticizing U.S. border policies for barring or harassing World Cup players, fans and officials from Iran, Senegal, Morocco, Uzbekistan and Somalia. He asks what FIFA thinks of the situation. In a separate panel Trump urges Gianni to speak out while a figure labeled FIFA kneels at his feet. The image responds to ongoing enforcement actions near the 2026 tournament.
Zapiro's June 2026 cartoon shows an e-troll fleeing a Johannesburg toll plaza with a sack of cash while a grandmother reads the tale to children. The image references ongoing disputes over Gauteng's electronic toll system and missing revenue. The upper panel depicts the toll gantry and city skyline with the troll escaping. The lower panel shows the domestic bedtime scene with the book titled Joburg Tales. The cartoon uses a children's story format to highlight public frustration with the toll collection process.
