Journalists in South Africa are worried that freedom of the press is under threat after a series of incidents involving the police and politicians. They have requested a meeting with President Jacob Zuma to discuss the serious decline in relations with the media.
 
In Johannesburg two journalists from the Mail and Guardian reported being intimidated by police after photographing President Jacob Zuma's home. One journalist was forced to delete photographs from his camera.
 
Other members of the news media report being spied on by government officials. City Press investigative reporter Dumisane Lubisi said officials had dug into his personal bank account after he wrote a series of articles about the business dealings of the President of the ANC Youth League, Julius Malema.
 
Although Reporters Without Borders recently ranked South Africa 44th out of 168 countries in the latest index on press freedom, the South African Editors Forum (SANEF) described recent attacks on the media by Julius Malema and ANC Youth League spokesperson Floyd Shivambu as completely unacceptable in a democracy. Thabo Leshilo said:
 
"We see this as the most cynical, most sinister attack on press freedom since the end of apartheid."
 
The ANC's Malema has accused journalists of sleeping with politicians and receiving envelopes stuffed with cash in order to get a story. The Chairman of the National Press Club South Africa, Yusuf Abramjee, told RNW's Bridges With Africa that Malema should put up or shut up. He said :
 
"Some members of the media have been called criminals, and we feel that if anyone has any evidence against any journalist, they must take it to the police for investigation."
 
It is not just journalists who have suffered Malema's wrath. One of South Africa's most controversial political cartoonists, Jonathan Shapiro, who goes by the pen name "Zapiro," has also been the focus of his ire. At one public meeting attended by Julius Malema it was demanded that Shapiro be shot for his depiction of Lady Justice being held down by Malema and others while President Zuma stands in front and unzips his trousers. Shapiro said:
 
"This is the general trend that is developing at the moment.  It's not shouted down enough from anyone at the top."
 
Shapiro began his career as a cartoonist in 1987. Since then his work has been featured in newspapers such as The Mail and Guardian and The Cape Times. He has also exhibited his work in New York, Frankfurt and Amsterdam. He is not afraid to shock, but not everyone appreciates the irony in his work. After several hard hitting cartoons about South Africa's former deputy-president and Jacob Zuma, Shapiro is currently being sued for defamation. The president is seeking 10 million Rand (1 million euros) in damages.
 
The depiction of President Zuma with a shower attached to his head has become one of Shapiro's  trademarks. It followed Zuma's statement in court over a rape charge of which he was subsequently acquitted, that he took a shower after sexual relations to protect himself from acquiring HIV. The image has stuck.
 
Shapiro says he begins his day by writing down five stories that are in the news. He then analyses the different angles and draws up a flow chart with arrows connecting them.
 
"Somewhere along the line the little light bulbs go off and I see the images starting to appear out of those contradictions."
 
Journalists in South Africa had hoped that after a difficult relationship with former president Thabo Mbeki that things would be different under Jacob Zuma. While freedom of the press is still relatively strong in this young democracy, few are taking it for granted. SANEF's Thabo Leshilo believes that South Africa's journalists must speak out.
 
"We would rather over state the issues than play down the problems because this is how things happened in Zimbabwe, where civil society did not stand up. Then we end up with the same mess as Zimbabwe today."

See more Zapiro cartoons on www.zapiro.com