Outrage at Zuma headline

Outrage at Zuma headline

OUT OF TASTE?: Our headline, and the Guardian's

• Editor's Memo: Were we right to do this?

• Fuck Zuma!

• Guardian cover outrages readers

• South Africa sees progress in Zimbabwe

Outraged New Zimbabwe.com readers protested over our front page headline FUCK ZUMA on Wednesday 16 February. Here, are some of your comments sent by e-mail

Editor - I write in support of your 'controversial' headline. My view is that if she expects respect, she must earn it. I really must congratulate you for the hardline you have taken and hope that you shall continue to dish out more of the same to all deserving subjects.

Keep the good work up. Musambotya.
Ben Munashe

Editor - Makhosazana Dlamini-Zuma's arrogance should not be surprising to us Zimbabweans in South Africa. Some time last year Pallo Jordan, then an ordinary MP indicated that South Africa was using the Zimbabwean crisis to 'show off' in the world especially the western World. There is nothing as joyful for them to get to London, Washington etc and then proclaim that 'WE ARE NOT LIKE THEM'.

That is why South Africa,especially the ANC will defend Zanu PF even if they know that the Zanu PF is destructive. Most MK and ANC leaders know the Zanu PF violence, they experienced it in the 1980s during Mugabe's anti-ZAPU crusade. They dont care about the thousands of Zimabweans flocking illegally into South Africa. The crisis suites them.
Joseph Dlodlo
South Africa

Editor - I have always had respect for New Zimbabwe.com to provide the latest news in a balanced educative and respectful manner, but when I see news headings like the one above I start to question wether this is the news I should be depending on to learn from. Not impressed.
Edwin Mhondera

Editor - Think again, profanity will not overcome tyranny
Shand Adam

Editor - I am so very disappointed with your headline "Fuck Zuma". You lost a lot of credibility with that. Perhaps you do not care but a lot of people that I have spoken to as well feel that this was totally inappropriate. Just look at the comments made on other Zimbabwean forums too. Freedom of speech exists but please dont denigrate yourselves. You have worked hard to get your publication to where it is now dont destroy it with such filth.

I hope that we do see a retraction of that and also please dont rejoice in the misfortune of others. Yes people are well aware of deportations as well as that soccer players etc etc are being sent back. They also did what they had to do what really do you gain in mocking them please re evaluate your reporting. This is just my observation, you are free to take it or leave it. Good luck with your future endeavours.
J Dube

"Well it's unfortunate that you guys have guts to call a minister of a sovereign state names. I remain your reader"

LUKE

Editor - I have been appalled by the heading of one of your lead stories "Fuck Zuma"! I consider your website a non-age-restrictive site for information about Zimbabwe. Thus, I believe my children can get all the news and unbiased political analysis about Zimbabwe without them picking up foul language.

I do not believe I am the only one shocked, but please do tone down the Fuck to something more appropriate for mixed age readership. Thanks for your persitent reportage on the political situation in Zimbabwe.
Emmanuel Dube

Editor - l for one really support the article Fuck Zuma. Guys l think you have been quiet about Roy Bennet, particularly at this political stage in Zimbabwe.
Vu Madlela

Editor - She has been 'fucked' already as you can hear her naked, empty and retrogressive lies on Zim issues. I think we should forgive her, for I strongly believe she was dreaming. As SA's foreign minister she was supposed to have consulted Jeremiah Ndou, their ambassador in Zim who was once manhandled and 'frog marched' by these hired Zanu PF thugs when he went to survey some of the properties owned by South Africans invaded by thugs.
Forward

Editor - Yeah, FUCK ZUMA big time!!!!!!!
Liqhwa Gama

Editor - Hii akomana chero chiricho chirungu hachidi kudaro itaiwo maheadings ari nane, we all hate Mugabe that is why we are all over the nyika asika lets keep unhu wedu vamwe wedu vave nevana vanoverenga mapepa enyuwo asi kana Moti FUCK SO AND SO kana chiricho chirungu ndofunga marasika akuru!!

I am a reader we site yenyu asi apa ndaonawo semati kanganisei mbichana. Munotii napo?
Magaya

Editor - Your headline is just a bit strong. Some of us use your website as the homepage for our family shared computers and the last thing i want is to explain this word you have made your headline to my four year old. moreso its not just professional to make statements like that when you are an established and reputable publication..always think of yourself as zimbabwe's cnn and set your standards from that level.

keep it real and professional. Some people might find it a bit too offending and miss the point of your story. I still hope and believe you are a serious publication and not degenerating into a tabloid...because you have earned your place dude..
Comrade Mutambavhu
Boston

Editor - I think you could have made your point as strongly and uninhibited as you did, but without debasing the integrity of your website with the foul language. If New Zimbabwe.com is to be a mainstream journalistic website then it has to stick within the universally established and acknowledged code of media ethics; you can't have it any other way and expect the same reverence we give to The Guardian, for instance. If you had a print edition, obviously the style of the paper would be tabloid - some sensationalism here and there, but ultimately, like all authoritative tabloids (Sun, Mirror etc), it would have to conform to the same set of ethics that apply to all media. As your readers we do have legitimate expectations about this website, but of course you have the right to determine how it is seen and received.

I submit these comments in brotherly, journalistic spirit.
I Sithole
Leicester

Editor - I am dismayed and offended by your headline on today's New Zimbabwe which screamed boldly with unprintable words "f****** zuma" this is a disgrace to you mr editor, New Zimbabwe and journalism in general. I have enjoyed your professional unbiased approach to news coverage until today. You should lead by example since you are the leading zimbabwe internet newspaper. I hope you are going to get the message loud and clear.
M Nyachiya

Editor - I see you enraged the Zanoids with your Zuma article - GOOD.

Ugh!
Charles
UK

Editor - Laba abantu bayasi delela. It's time that we demostrated outside the South African Embassy. When they were suffereing under the system we helped creat awareness sakhala labo. Now it is our turn and they keep going to bed with the system.

I suggest we all write petitions to Mbeki through his Embassy /ANC wesite etc.

No doubt these guys are benefiting from our misery.
Lucky

Editor - That was the best headline I have ever seen, perfect use of the word.

Keep it up and you will be famous !
Brian Pool

Editor - There are some of us who start the day by first visiting your website. We
have always thought of it as an informative instrument, particularly for us
Zimbabweans in the Diaspora. There are times when we thought you took your
partisanship a little too far but we all are partisans one way or the other.

Today, however, is a sad day. Your headline on Nkosazana-Zuma is
unwarranted, unjournalistic, unZimbabwean and totally uncalled for even in
yellow press, gutter journalism. I don't give two pence for the South
African foreign minister, or Thabo Mbeki for that matter, for the way they
have perpetuated our suffering.

But I know a bit of politics to understand what they are doing. It's either
that or its war. I still think South Africa can do a little more, publicly,
than it is doing at the moment and Mbeki last week made just the right kind
of noises.

I am, as indeed my colleagues are, put off completely by your headline. You
have crossed that very clear line of decency. It would do you some good if
you removed it urgently and if you want to salvage anything, apologise.
Otherwise this is one of many Diasporans who are now going to start their
day with some other site.
Noel Mtandiro

"I don't blame you because you are after money. Like Judas Iscariot you will go the same way. Zimbabwe is good, and we are happy"

MAXWELL MUKORERA

Editor - It's sickening to hear that your mind has been so colonised by the British that you can't even see and read the truth. I wrote to you last time giving you some light about politics in the Sadc region. I stressed a point that Sadc was not like the Middle East where that region let Iraq be destroyed by the forces of darkness - Bush and Blair.

South Africa, Mbeki or Zuma will never betray Zimbabwe. They are well informed about Zimbabwe and they know the British and the American, that they are crooks, colonisers, imperialists, slaverers. I don't blame you because you are after money. Like Judas Iscariot you will go the same way. Zimbabwe is good, and we are happy except for the problems that are brought by you.

Leave Zimbabwe alone. Viva Zuma!I Zimbabwe lands are free. Now it's South Africa lands to be free. Until Sadc lands are all free, we shall never rest.

Join us for this worthy call
Maxwell Mukorera

Editor - Does the word fuck appear in the dictionary ,what does it mean? l bet you, your next heading will be, "SCREW ZUMA".
Steve N

Editor - This is very unproffessional. Do you think anybody will take you seriously with a headline like that? Is there no other way of expressing discontent other than using profanity? This is the thought process of a drunken individual falling off a bar stool. I’m an avid New Zimbabwe.com reader and a journalist in Canada. You have picked up negative western traits. The use of such language in a public forum such as Newzimbabwe.com is unbecoming. We are all frustrated by the situation back home but as journalists you have an obligation to your readers to provide information and intelligent analysis.
Tokozani Zaza
Canada

Editor - Well it's unfortunate that you guys have guts to call a minister of a sovereign state that, for simply expressing her opinion on the situation on the ground as she sees it.

We Zimbabweans have the solution to our problems and not foreigners. I just wonder how you were going to react if Zuma HAD said the situation is really bad .

I thank you for your wonderful page, I remain your reader.
Luke
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