Animal Rights Africa Takes Zulu King And Premier To Court
What happens when culture becomes so hallowed that even blatant cruelty can’t be challenged? Such is the case in South Africa where Animal Rights Africa (ARA) have taken the Zulu king and the KwaZulu-Natal premier, Zweli Mkhize, to court to prevent the Zulu Ukweshwama ritual planned for the 5th December at king Zwelithini’s palace in Nongoma from taking place.
In the ritual a bull is killed as an offering of thankgiving to God for the first crops of the season. The issue is the way in which the bull is killed. The killing takes approximately 40 minutes. During this time the groaning bellowing animal is slowly tortured bare-headedly by a group of men. Its head is wrenched around by the horns to try and break its neck, while attempting to gouge its eyes, rip its tongue out, stuff sand in its mouth and tie its penis in a knot. When the bull finally succumbs after these intense acts of cruelty, the men, gleaming with sweat raise their arms in victory and sing.
Judge Nic van der Ryden, earlier today, proposed the use of a video during the ritual so that the affected parties could establish whether the killing was cruel or not. The respondents turned down the proposal. The judge went on to say that it was difficult for him to rule on the matter because the bull killing ritual went to the heart of Zulu tradition. Judgement was reserved until Friday morning the 4th December.
Even more disturbing are the words of the special advisor to the premier of KwaZulu-Natal, Godfrey Siphosihle Mdluli. He was quoted as saying, concerning the ritual: “Any interference at this late stage will result in high emotions and such an outpouring of anger that there is the danger of widespread unrest and civil disobedience.” He went on to say that the prejudice to the Zulu nation was so immense and irreversible that the application by the ARA should be struck off the role with costs.
What does this all say concerning the South African psyche? Well, firstly, we are one of the most violent nations in the world. You can say what you like, violent rituals, no matter how sacred, breed violent people. Secondly, it’s just one step from an animal to a human being. We saw this not so long ago when a woman was savagely attacked and had her house burnt down for wearing slacks – a mortal cultural sin. Thirdly, patriarchy, tribalism and nationalism reign just below the surface of our nobly espoused constitution. When simply questioning the blatant cruelty of the killing of a bull, even if it is a sacred ritual, can possibly unleash the kind of powers that Mdluli describes, what is the level of our national maturity?
Let’s be clear. The ritual of bull killing in South Africa goes far beyond a symbol of offering thanks to God for the first crops of the season. It speaks about the very depths of our very soul.
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