The son of Barend la Grange from Kempton Park appeared upset when he told reporters that he didn’t know why his father had vandalised the painting, titled The Spear, reported Beeld.

News crews were at the Goodman Gallery when La Grange painted red crosses over Zuma’s face and genitals on the painting and filmed the event.

Shortly afterwards, they filmed another man, Lowie Mabokela, smearing black paint over the painting.

“We are shocked. We can only speculate about his reasons. It could be that he didn’t agree with Zuma’s lifestyle and perhaps wanted to voice it like this,” said someone close to La Grange.

A third man was later arrested outside the gallery where he had started spraying paint against a wall.

The three were released on R1 000 bail last night and would appear in the Hillbrow Magistrates Court today, said national police spokesperson Colonel Vish Naidoo.