Madam Impossible

By Stephen Francis and Rico Schacherl

From the Government of National Unity (GNU) to Trump 2.0. From A2I to penguins, potholes to political soapies. Cyril goes to Washington and the great Floyd and Julius breakup… and let’s not forget the hadedas. Last year’s Madam & Eve collection has it all!

Madam Impossible captures the chaos, contradictions and comedy of South African life with sharp precision. The jokes land quickly. The observations linger. As a result, laughter comes easily, even when the subject matter cuts close to home.

It is Mission: Impossible not to laugh at Cupcake’s visit to Donald Trump’s White House. Julius Malema’s never-ending litany of political breakups also draws sharp laughs.

Satire remains the most reliable coping mechanism

Meanwhile, ghost workers, potholes, water outages and integrity failures receive equal treatment. Importantly, Madam Impossible tackles these issues without losing its trademark lightness. The humour never lectures. Instead, it invites readers to recognise the absurdity for themselves.

At the heart of the annual sits the familiar cast. Madam remains imperious, oblivious and perfectly consistent. Together, they carry readers through a year that felt overwhelming in real time. On the page, however, it becomes manageable through laughter. In this way, Madam Impossible turns frustration into release.

Ultimately, this annual work works because it understands timing. It skewers politics, culture and everyday life with economy and warmth. The result feels cathartic rather than cruel. Once again, Madam Impossible proves that satire remains one of South Africa’s most reliable coping mechanisms.

About the authors

Stephen Francis is the writing half of the Madam & Eve team. He was born in the United States in 1949. He moved to South Africa in 1988. In 1992, he witnessed the dynamic between his South African mother-in-law and her domestic housekeeper. That interaction inspired the Madam & Eve strip. He is also an award-winning scriptwriter. In addition, he works as a radio and television personality.

Rico Schacherl forms the other half of the creative team as illustrator. He was born in Austria in 1966. Rico has lived and worked in Johannesburg for most of his life. He has drawn cartoons since he could hold a pencil. Besides Madam & Eve, he produces illustrations and editorial cartoons for a wide range of publications.