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 Attack on Zulu culture 'malicious'
    November 23 2009 at 08:46AM Get IOL on your
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By Sipho Khumalo
Political staff

Matters relating to culture - such as the ukweshwama (first fruits) ceremony, in which a bull is killed barehanded by Zulu warriors - were sensitive and should be treated with utmost respect, the office of KwaZulu-Natal Premier Zweli Mkhize said yesterday.

It was responding after Animal Rights Africa approached the Pietermaritzburg High Court on Friday, lodging papers to prevent the ritual, scheduled for December, from going ahead at this year's first fruits ceremony.

The ceremony takes place annually in the first week of December at Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini's eNyokeni Palace, in Nongoma.

Animal Rights Africa attorney Tina Costas said yesterday that the matter was set to be heard tomorrow.
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In letters sent to the king, Mkhize, Local Government MEC Nomusa Dube, Agriculture and Environmental Affairs MEC Lydia Johnson and Zululand House of Traditional Leaders chairman Mangosuthu Buthelezi, Costas argued that South Africa was also party to the Terrestrial Animal Health Code of the World Organisation of Animal Health, which applied to the slaughter of animals.

"This code provides that all animals slaughtered outside abattoirs should be managed to ensure that their slaughter is carried out without causing undue stress to animals," she said.

Costas said Animal Rights Africa considered the king to be the authorising and officiating person over the ceremony and acting as an organ of the state.

The king was therefore required to comply with the requirements of the constitution and the provisions of national legislation, such as the Animals Protection Act.

"Our client, having a right to protect animals from cruelty, would be able to challenge an unlawful administrative action," she said.

It is understood that the matter was raised at last week's provincial cabinet meeting, with MPLs angry that attempts were being made to stop the king from practising his customs and culture.


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muti
Showing page 1 of 6 comment pages, 57 total comments
10 Weeks ago Anonymous wrote :
As i understand it,the Bull is slaughtered,Is this inhumane? Is this not how they get to our local butchery from the abatoirs.The Zulu's aren't the only religion who slaughter? I suggest people do there research as i know of two other religions who practise a similar tradition which involves slaughtering of animals and then pray and cook this meat and eat or offer it to the poor. So if the King is going to court for this,we all should go.
Traditions are traditions!
11 Weeks ago Siphiwe Ngidi wrote :
This is the price we may pay for failing to drive the settlers back to the see. Firstly they were not sent by anyone to our beloved country, secondly they came uninvited. They took our fish and birds to cages and we did not complain. Now, they are interfering with our cultures which we have been practising for centuries. Some of them go to those who agree with them and do a research about our culture. If they are fair with this so called research it must be done amongst the majority of the people practising the culture.
11 Weeks ago Anonymous wrote :
`

"When we kill the bull it's not because we want to have fun we mean business. Its how we connect with nature" - unfortunately civilized ppl do not see it this way...
But keep up your circus... at least the tourist from all over the world like to see "Stone Age Parade"!
11 Weeks ago Anonymous wrote :
" Why do whites sometimes stick their noses into our affairs? Just shut up"

If we wouldn't - you would still eat each other!
11 Weeks ago General wrote :
Low-Key i demand that you apologise for calling me a racist and i suppose it's the decent thing to do. I don't hate white people but i hate the way they destroy the planet with their uncivilised ideas that all men must praise. When we kill the bull it's not because we want to have fun we mean business. Its how we connect with nature
11 Weeks ago Low-Key wrote :
. . . . For the love of God, this WHOLE article is NOT about the black man, it's NOT about the white man, it's NOT about being zulu or ANYTHING, It's about being humane when we kill animals. How can you miss this ????? . . . .
11 Weeks ago General wrote :
We are Zulus and we are not apologetic about who we are. We used speares to win wars in the past but believe me this time around we are equiped with words and nothing but words and wisdom from God. When you make AK47, Nuclear Bombs and Military Aircrafts, we the Zulus will be waiting with nothing but words of wisdom
11 Weeks ago Low-Key wrote :
@Africa Mayibuye and @General, You 2 r the biggest retarted racists i have met in a loooooong time, your attempt to defend 'your' tradition by throwing the race card . . .How classic, yes blame the current whites what happened 300 years ago, yeah we had a say in that. The point here is everything in the world is evolving except you. But then again go kill that bull just like an animal, once again you just showing everybody how primitive you are !! Viva the cave !!
11 Weeks ago Anonymous wrote :
Also remeber to observe that people practice their rites as they please in their own land.
See this articleon the link below & go hang yourself because these things are happening & will continue as long as the people see it OK for them in their own soil.
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http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=3&art_id=nw20091124135547754C362025
11 Weeks ago Vusimuzi wrote :
I still fail to understand how does it affect you on about how we slaughter a com in our own yard. I also don't understand how can you choose to be the one to tell us that culture evolves etc.Whose culture are you reffering to really? "ours" Then you have too much time on your hands. Me thinks this is a fight & personal attacks to amaZulu as a Nation. We are prepared to have this going ahead irrespective of wht you think. We are mobilising groups from Gauteng to attend the ceremony this time around.ye we will be driving german cars, who cares. We will do it because we are the same amaZulu guys who happened to have MBA from Wits, Uni of Natal (now UKZN). We know very well that the term barbaric refers to complying with your standards from the west. Well look sometimes we have to do things in our own way on our own soil.