In this explosive conversation, political cartoonist Dave De Toons pulls back the curtain on what it really means to draw satire in South Africa today.
Once seen as a fearless tool for exposing corruption and hypocrisy, political cartoons are now increasingly shaped by invisible boundaries. Dave explains how artists are pressured to soften their message, avoid certain topics, or preemptively censor themselves long before an editor ever gets involved.
The discussion exposes how media institutions, public outrage, and the fear of cancellation have created an environment where “playing it safe” becomes the default. Publishers worry about backlash, advertisers worry about controversy, and artists are left navigating a shrinking space where honest critique can cost them their platform or livelihood. As a result, satire loses its edge, and the role of the cartoonist as a truth-teller is quietly undermined.
This interview is not just about cartoons. It is about free expression and the slow erosion of dissent in a society that still claims to value open debate. Dave De Toons makes it clear that when satire is muted, it is often a warning sign of deeper problems ahead.
If South Africans care about free speech, political accountability, and the future of honest commentary, this conversation is one they cannot afford to ignore.
