Pretoria - Complainants in the controversial painting of President Jacob Zuma were set to make presentations to the Film and Publication Board (FPB) on Tuesday, an official said.
The complainants’ request to make presentations had been accepted by the board, said Mmapula Fisha, chief operations officer of the board at the onset of the board’s meeting in Centurion.
The meeting is scheduled to make a decision on the status of a controversial portrait of Zuma.
“The complaints are running late, we kindly request your patience. They will be joining us soon,” she told the gathering which included media, lawyers and the board’s classification committee members.
Moments later several men and women walked into the room, carrying huge files and bags.
No questions The names of all the complainants and the classifiers are not to be published in the media, Fisha announced. She said no questions would be taken from the media during the session.
Last week, the board sent a team of five classifiers to view and classify artist Brett Murray's painting
The Spear, which was on display at the Goodman Gallery, after several complaints.
The painting depicts Zuma with his genitals exposed. It was vandalised last Tuesday and has since been removed from the gallery, which has temporarily closed its doors to the public.
The committee was considering classifying the painting in line with the Film and Publications Act.
On Wednesday, the board's CEO Yoliswa Makhasi recused herself from the classification hearing following a complaint by City Press editor Ferial Haffajee that she was biased.
The hearing itself was postponed because the parties to it had not been given enough time to prepare.
The FPB is a government entity under the jurisdiction of the department of home affairs.
SAPA
