The producers of Inxeba - The Wound are so worried about their safety that they could not be part of a dialogue over concerns raised about their movie.
The Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities on Wednesday held an Indaba to discuss concerns from communities about the controversial movie.
The film was released earlier this month despite objections and complaints laid against it.
The commission's chairperson Thoko Mkhwanazi-Xaluva said a representative of the producers arrived at Birchwood Hotel in Kempton Park, Ekurhuleni, earlier but could not stay over safety concerns.
"We tried very hard to get the producers here. We even performed rituals.A representative was here in the morning but decided to leave. The representative said they did not feel safe. We even offered a bodyguard but they could not be here," Mkhwanazi-Xaluva told delegates.
The dialogue started immediately after the movie was screened.
Speakers from the Xhosa and Zulu kingdoms said they were disappointed and saddened by the movie.
"We are being humiliated. This film must be banned with immediate effect," said Nkosi Xolile Ndevu on behalf of the Xhosa nation.
Speaking on behalf of the Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini, Prince Thulani Zulu said the nation had been wounded by the movie.
That is because Inxeba implies that late Zulu King Shaka Zulu had sex with warriors.
Though the sexual scenes are not too explicit, the kingdoms said they were a disgrace. There is also nudity in the movie.The movie also implies that Jesus was a homosexual and that he slept with his disciples.
Speaking on behalf of the religious community, Pastor Keitumetse Mahlangu said the producers should apologise to South Africans.
The Pan South African Language Board also said the language used in the movie was exaggerated.
The translations on some of the things said in isiXhosa are wrong.
When one of the actors says: "wabambi kangaka", the translation is "you look like shit".
"When the boys are out there (on the mountain) they are taught about how to be respectful. Some of the words that are used there are an exaggeration," said a PanSALB representative.
The Star