An analysis of satirical cartoons during the xenophobic violence in South Africa.
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Date
2018
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Abstract
ABSTRACT
In the months of May 2008 and February 2015, South Africa was plagued with
xenophobic attacks that affected migrants from African countries such as Malawi,
Zimbabwe and Mozambique (Steenkamp, 2009: 441). These xenophobic attacks
quickly became an ethnic, racial, economic and structural issue. Artists in South
Africa reacted through their “weapon” of choice - Art. Many satirical cartoons being
published which helped highlight the above issues. For this research, I have analysed
ten South African editorial cartoons (which are created by South African artists) that
focused on xenophobia in 2008 and 2015.
These cartoons were sourced from local and national South African newspapers. I
have chosen three theoretical lenses to analyse how South African satirical cartoonists
portrayed the xenophobic violence in South Africa. The first lens used was
Xenophobia theory; the second lens was Elements of Cartooning and the third lens
was Bakhtin’s theory of the Carnivalesque. The final analysis integrated all three
lenses which provided a deeper analysis. The research was aimed at investigating how
South African cartoonists dealt with the xenophobic outbreaks in 2008 and 2015.
The study concluded that cartoonist portrayed the xenophobic violence in South
Africa as being a catastrophic and senseless occurrence. Through the use of satire,
cartoonists helped the reader to ascertain valuable information such as the causes and
main contributors of xenophobia in South Africa as well as who were the main targets
and highlighted the consequences of the attacks. The application of Bakhtins
Carnivalesque to the analysis of the cartoons emphasised how the cartoonist can be
likened to the Jester of the medieval carnival, as they mock and debunk the
hierarchical structures that exist. The cartoonist is thus revealed as a powerful figure
who holds the ability to effect change through cartooning.
Description
Master of Arts. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2018.