I am a cartoon artist and illustrator, living and working in Cape Town, South Africa.

I have drawn and illustrated cartoons for all types of media, from comic strips, corporate and commercial cartoons to children's books.
I am also the co-creator of the comic strips Treknet, Koos, Mama Taxi, Ripples and Brak, which have been published in various newspapers and magazines throughout South Africa, Namibia and the USA.
You can follow me on Facebook at Gavin Thomson Cartoons and Illustrations (or click on the picture below right) or on Instagram at Gavin Thomson Cartoonist for more regular updates.

If there is anything you would like to buy, check my website, or contact me via my email to discuss and confirm availability.

Thank you for your support. Gavin
www.gavin.thomson.co.za






28 Oct 2008

All roads lead to 2010


PROJECTS worth billions of rands are currently steaming ahead to ensure that residents and visitors can travel to their destinations safely and effectively during the time of the Soccer World Cup in 2010.
Projects include improvements to Cape Town International Airport, stations and highways in the Cape metropole and outlying areas, new bus services, and better facilities and routes for pedestrians and cyclists.
In Cape Town itself, work is under way to ensure that thousands of soccer supporters and revellers can move safely on foot and bicycle from the Cape Town Station and the viewing site on the Parade to the Waterfront and new Green Point Stadium.
Various streets will be closed to traffic, while limited pedestrian traffic will be permitted on others. One of the streets in which only limited vehicle traffic will be permitted is Waterkant Street.
This street is not only being jazzed up with trees, but will also be transformed into a cyclist and pedestrian route that will be linked to Somerset Way with a bridge and controlled crossing over Buitengracht Road.
A three-metre-wide cyclist lane, as well as a three-metre-wide pedestrian path, will be developed along Somerset Way to Three Anchor Bay so that spectators and residents can reach the stadium safely. Also under development are a second cyclist and pedestrian route from the station over North Wharf Square, Coen Steytler Avenue; a cyclist and pedestrian bridge over the inbound lanes of Buitengracht, and a controlled ground-level crossing over the outbound lanes of Buitengracht to the Waterfront and ultimately the stadium.
THEUNS VAN DER WESTHUIZEN People's Post 28th October 2008

14 Oct 2008

no limit

Editorial cartoon for The People's Post 14th October 2008

Draft Animal Bylaw: more bark than bite?


THERE seems to be a great deal of confusion around this bylaw [the draft Animal Bylaw]. Who drafted it? Why? And what does the process of public participation involve?
Bylaws in the city arise out of policy discussions in multi-party portfolio committees. The mayor has nothing to do with their formulation until the bylaw reaches the mayoral committee and full council after the public participation process.
The City of Cape Town is an amalgamation of seven former separate local authorities, each of which had its own animal bylaw. There were also still three animal bylaws from the former municipal councils dating back to 1964. It is impossible to administer ten different bylaws across the city. As a result, there must be one consolidated bylaw. This bylaw is the first draft to achieve this outcome.
The proposed limit on the number of pets per property is also nothing new. Each of the previous bylaws limited the number of dogs and cats per property (in common with similar legislation across the world). Nine of the existing bylaws set the limit of dogs and cats per property at two of each. Only the old Cape Town administration dog bylaw allowed for three of each.
The portfolio committee, with the full support of all parties, proposed the “two-dogs-two-cats” limitation for the consolidated single draft bylaw for Cape Town.
There is no truth in the rumours that people will be required to “put down” their pets. Furthermore, if anyone wants to own more than two dogs and two cats, they will be able to apply for a permit to do so. If they meet the criteria, designed in part for the welfare of the animals concerned, they will be able to own more dogs and cats.
Public participation is an important part of the process of passing all bylaws, including the draft Animal Bylaw. The public participation phase began in June already. Four months of public input have been allowed, in addition to a workshop through the City Wide Forum, and the emailing of the bylaw to over 70 animal welfare organisations and animal activists. They had contacted the city before then, indicating their interest in the matter. This is in addition to numerous press releases and newspaper ads.
The bylaw was also referred to over 1 000 community organisations through all the ward forums, as well as to the subcouncils for comment.
For members of the public who would like to submit comment, a copy of the draft bylaw is available on the city’s website at the following address: http://www.capetown.gov.za/en/ByLaws/Pages/Draft_by-laws.aspx. Within the next few days it will be available in hard copy at city libraries and subcouncil offices.
The public can submit their comments or proposed amendments to the draft bylaw by writing to Mr Richard Bosman at Private Bag X4, Parow, 7499 – or via email to richard.bosman@capetown.gov.za – by Thursday 30 October.
Everyone has rights in a city, and legislation involves a careful balancing of competing rights. This is what we are trying to get right in this case.


Robert Macdonald
Spokesperson for the mayor of Cape Town

8 Oct 2008

bad news


"Dog ingests 13 rubber dummies" Editorial cartoon for the People's Post 7th October 2008

2 Oct 2008

rubiks fix

Editorial cartoon People's Post 30th September 2008




POLICE commissioners across the Cape Peninsula are again being moved between stations, with Claremont, Camps Bay, Diep River and Pinelands police stations to soon come under new leadership. The provincial police office communica?ted the moves to affected station commissioners last week. As in years gone past, no official communication was directed by the provincial office to the media and People's Post discovered the far-reaching changes through its own accord. The provincial police office also did not provide specific reasons for the changes, but rather provided what has become a somewhat stock answer to the newspaper's enquiries on this matter over the years: "The process seeks to address service delivery, strengthen police stations and at the same time recognise the expertise and experience of individual members". Peole's Post 30th Sept 2008

30 Sept 2008

wanted

Editorial cartoon for the People's Post 23rd September 2008
THE City of Cape Town has released its list of top ten private vehicle motorists who owe it oodles of money in unpaid traffic fines. The current most wanted traffic offender on Cape Town's roads has more than R33 600 of outstanding warrants of arrest against his or her name. The motorist drives a Toyota with registration CA 695 302 20. "The motorist, whose address is unknown, amassed the traffic fines over a period of two years, mainly for speeding, illegal parking and other traffic offences," says Principal Inspector Merle Lourens, spokesperson for Cape Town Traffic Services. There are 348 outstanding warrants against the top ten offenders, totalling R155 000.
The one that got away, or rather didn't get away, but wasn't published due to it's graphic nature



13 Sept 2008

OBE

Editorial cartoon People's Post 9th September 2008


FOR years now, teachers have been calling for the scrapping of Outcomes-Based Education (OBE). Last week, a group of teachers met at South Peninsula High School to voice their dissatisfaction with the system. A sentiment echoed by many was that OBE was a flawed education system that has failed internationally and is creating a generation of children who may know how to socialise, colour in, and cut and paste, but can't read or write properly. This, say learners and teachers alike, will result in OBE graduates feeding the high unemployment numbers and the low income work force. What it won't do, is create fully rounded intellectuals who can think for themselves. The teachers will now mobilise colleagues and learners and their parents to take the call for the scrapping of OBE to Education Minister Naledi Pandor.

26 Aug 2008

spring olympics


Editorial cartoon People's Post 27th August 2008
MONDAY 1 SEPTEMBER is Spring Day and in celebration of the new season’s arrival, a Spring Splash will be held on Fish Hoek beach.
If you’re the type of person who can’t wait for summer, you should be on Fish Hoek beach this Sunday, 31 August, at 15:30 to show just how much life you’ve got in you.
Held for the first time last year, the Spring Splash separates the men from the boys, as it were.
The water temperature this time of year is certainly not for the faint of heart.
All are invited to take the plunge!

19 Aug 2008

eyesore


IF YOU fail to remove graffiti sprayed on your property or plan to erect a barb wire fence on your boundary wall, then you could find yourself on the wrong side of the law, according to a draft bylaw and policy recently compiled by the City of Cape Town.
A draft policy regulating boundary walls and fences and a draft by law aimed at stamping out unauthorised graffiti are two measures, which could potentially affect every homeowner. In their current form, they raise ethical questions as to whether council has the right to dictate standards, which in some instances are subjective in nature and arguably informed by practical considerations.
Boundary walls are considered to form part of municipal planning and in terms of Section 156 of the Constitution, the Council has the legal authority to make and enforce by laws regarding their administration.
With regards to the draft policy regulating boundary walls and fences, there is to be no razor or barbed wire in residential areas.
Stephen Kihn People's Post 19/08/08

29 Jul 2008

drug free pee



Editorial cartoon for The People's Post

Teens to be tested

Lee-anne jacobs


RANDOM drug testing is soon to become routine at all high schools in South Africa.
Cameron Dugmore, MEC for Education in the Western Cape, said: “Random drug testing is not in effect yet, but many high schools have been conducting drug tests with permission from learners’ parents.”
He said the new testing system would be compulsory.
Dugmore said the method of testing and date of commencement would be discussed at meetings with national education minister Naledi Pandor next month.
“Learners found to be drug users will be supported by receiving counselling,” he added.
Marcia Woolward, Grassy Park High School principal, says she has no objection to random drug testing “because drug abuse is a serious problem among the youth.
“This may be the aggressive approach to curbing drug abuse we’ve been looking for because right now only parents have the right to enforce rehabilitation.”
Jeanene Matthyse, Grassy Park High School counsellor, identifies drug abuse as a major problem in the community.
“I fully agree with the idea of random drug testing, but my hope is that things don’t end there. The learners should be given counselling and rehabilitation as a means of effectively combating the issue of drug addiction.”
According to Matthyse, blood-based drug tests are more effective and accurate than urine-based tests because “drug abusers have learnt different ways to lessen the chance of drugs being traced in their urine.”

22 Jul 2008

the cape fear seal


Editorial cartoon People's Post

Shooting seals
aly verbaan

SEALS spitting sinkers faster than tracer-bullets; seals hopping onto boats to snatch a snoek from the hands of a lowly fisherman; seals sinking their teeth into a sunbathing blonde. Barely believable but apparently true stories, according to the various fishermen who related them to People’s Post this week. These were in defence of allegations put to them that they or their crew were guilty of widespread killing and maiming of seals that dare to compete for the bounty of shoals of snoek that run off the Cape peninsula every year.
People's Post 22nd July 2008

15 Jul 2008

no complaints


City to bite down on amount of pets per household
tammy petersen

ANIMAL protection organisations have questioned the feasibility of the proposed pet bylaw open to public comment which aims to control the amount of pets allowed on a property.
The bylaw, which will make it compulsory for dogs and cats to be sterilised, be fitted with tags and walkers to carry litter bags with them at all times, is open to public participation until October.
JP Smith, chairperson of the City of Cape Town’s safety and security portfolio committee, says two pets is the proposed limit of animals per household.
“However, other aspects such as the size of the erf as well as a lack of complaints from neighbours can have a specific family’s amount increased if they write a formal application to the city.”
He says the proposed bylaw, which is a combination of 10 existing bylaws aimed at animal control, will see law enforcement officers “reactively” carrying out inspections when pets cause problems in an area.
Peoples Post 15th July 2008

1 Jul 2008

reclassification


"landmark ruling that Chinese South Africans are to be included in the definition of "black people" in legislation designed to benefit previously disadvantaged groups."