One of Len Sak’s famous cartoons – the end of apartheid.
(Image: © Louise Gubb)14 June, 2011 – Today sees the launch of an online collection of Len Sak’s cartoons on the Nelson Mandela Foundation’s website. The cartoon collection, aptly titled “South Africa’s transition to democracy”, is a collection of some 70 editorial cartoons created by Len Sak during the period 1990 – 1994, a tumultuous time in the country’s political history.
Each cartoon, laden with social and political commentary regarding the threat of a new political framework for South Africa, is accompanied with a caption that details when the cartoon was published and the circumstances of that time.
Says Len Sak about the collection of cartoons: “Following F. W. de Klerk’s 2 February 1990 speech, the speed and consequences of political events, and the dire threats to the dawn of a democratic transition, it became necessary to adapt my cartoon style to try to interact with rapidly evolving circumstances.”
Originally published in The Sowetan newspaper under the tolerant policy of the then-Editor-in-Chief Aggrey Klaaste, Len’s cartoons sent out a strong message to those in power to expedite the move towards democracy and simultaneously created a plethora of avid fans.
Today in his eightieth year, the Foundation honours Len Sak’s invaluable contribution to social dialogue and political commentary.
To view the online exhibition, please click here.