Daily Maverick, AfriForum and Solidarity have settled a dispute over a Zapiro cartoon in a way that quietly affirms that satire is not reportage, and should not be judged as such.

Few cartoonists have ruffled as many feathers as Daily Maverick's resident cartoonist. Zapiro, celebrated for his sharp wit and fearless political commentary, is no stranger to controversy - or the courtroom.

In April 2025, Daily Maverick appealed a Press Ombud ruling that found Zapiro's cartoon "Mouthing Off" in breach of the Press Code after it satirically depicted AfriForum and Solidarity's claims about land reform as an orchestrated attack on white South Africans.

The matter was resolved after all parties reached a settlement "in the interest of press freedom", according to a joint statement published by the Press Council on 14 October 2025.

The cartoon in question

The cartoon, published on 15 February 2025, portrayed AfriForum CEO Kallie Kriel and Solidarity CEO Dirk Hermann as the proverbial "boys who cried wolf". In the first panel, they warn of "white genocide" and "they took our land". In the second, the pair recline on pool loungers, being served cocktails while shouting "Wolf!". The cartoon satirises the groups' well-documented claims that land reform amounts to a systematic attack on white South Africans.

Geopolitics and context

Days before the cartoon was published, South African Donald Trump supporters gathered at the US...