A grade 6 exam question involving a Zapiro cartoon of president Jacob Zuma has made Gauteng MEC for education, Panyaza Lesufi very angry, according to a report by The Star.
The question, posed in an exam for grade 6 pupils at an unnamed school, presented a picture of president Zuma drawn by political cartoonist, Zapiro.
The picture is on Zuma with a shower head, floating in a pool of money. The exam then asked pupils to identify who was depicted in the picture, and asked if they would vote for him and why.
Images of the exam question hit social media, sparking outrage from Zuma supporters as well as government officials.
According to the Star, Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi responded to the images with outrage, saying that the education department would investigate the matter and “act decisively” against a school that used it.
“Someone will fall, we can assure you” he was quoted saying.
Lesufi said he would not name the school, citing safety reasons. Speaking to The Star, however, he did reveal that it was a Christian school.
“My team went to the school to gather information, and from that, we will take decisive action. How do you have a question like this in the middle of election season? Teaching is about teaching and not transferring your hatred of something or a person onto the pupils,” Lesufi told the paper.
According to the report, Lesufi said he would hold the same stance if it was any other political figure depicted, including opposition party leaders.
