An Orderly Protest

from Cathy Gatland in Cape Town, South Africa

At the end of a year littered with dissatisfied protests, demonstrations and strikes, several #zumamustfall marches were held around the country against the latest in a series of unpopular actions by our president on 16 December, the ‘Day of Reconciliation’. Since we were on holiday in Cape Town, we attended the one held around the Company’s Garden at the upper end of the city.

The atmosphere was jovial – with some sporting the shower-head gear that cartoonist Zapiro immortalised for this head-of-state, although it was obvious that people are fed-up….it takes a lot of provocation for the middle-of-the-road middle classes to get out of their homes and cars to protest!

I tried some frantically quick sketches while standing in the crowds gathered in the square outside the Houses of Parliament, then running ahead to sit on a bench and draw the marchers coming towards me, and again from the back as they carried on down through the avenue of trees towards the city again. A fairly tame and pleasant way to spend a morning, but hoping it helps to bring some positive changes in this new year!