Exploring Politics Through Art: Nanda Soobben's provocative book, 'Shut Your Pothole'

VETERAN cartoonist and animator Nanda Soobben launched his third book, Shut Your Pothole, at the Glenwood Book Fair, on Saturday.

Soobben, who has been keeping a close eye and depicting his take on local and international politics for 40 years in that time, is regarded as a Struggle media personality.

It's no surprise that the book has strong political flavour and Chapter One is titled: “Apartheid and Racism" 

Mandela, women, GBV and human rights, Donald Trump, one of the most dominant personalities in world politics presently, are some other prominent themes to feature in the book.

During the launch event, Soobben engaged his audience and gave insights on the inspiration for Shut Your Pothole, including the catchy title.

“I saw Bheki Cele (the former minister of police) shouting at someone, who was asking a relevant question about a woman who was killed in a township and he was telling her to shut up and was shouting at her.

“I was watching it play out on TV and instinctively said, shut your pothole!”

About the presidents who ruled nations during his career as cartoonist, Soobben said: “I have seen stupid men rule the world, everyone one was stupid. There was only one who was more dignified than the others, the rest were all stupid because of the things they did.”

Soobben said one of the hallmarks of his artwork was to provoke thinking in those who looked at his artistic creations.

“I don’t make my cartoons easy for someone to understand, you take away their opportunity to think. You got to make them think.”

The book is available at all major bookstores.

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