The latest Zapiro cartoon in the Mail & Guardian has incensed the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa), who blasted it as "distasteful" and "deplorable".
The cartoon depicts President Jacob Zuma undoing his pants as Eugene De Kock and Schabir Shaik hold down lady justice. The infamous showerhead sketched above Zuma's head is etched closer to the president's head.
A speech bubble has Zuma saying: "Begging your pardon."
The cartoon relates to applications for a presidential pardon from both De Kock and Shaik.
Numsa said the caricature "implants in the minds of the public" that Zuma is a rapist despite being cleared of rape charges by a court of law.
"This venomous and personal hatred of President Zuma camouflaged as an artistic skill by Zapiro is a sign of disrespect not only to President Zuma, but to the office and the position he occupies in society as the fourth democratically elected head of state," the union said in a statement.
"Whilst we respect and uphold the Constitution and freedom of expression, it does not give cartoonists licence to undermine the fundamental rights to dignity as guaranteed in the Constitution."
It also described the cartoon as "reckless" through depicting a woman about to be raped in a country wracked by violence and abuse against women.
Numsa demanded that the newspaper and Zapiro apologise to Zuma and that the South African Human Rights Commission take action against the cartoonist.
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