The Weekend Post Online

Pietermaritzburg – An urgent court bid to stop the Ukweshwama ritual – in which dozens of men trample, torture and kill a bull with their hands in gratitude for the first crops of the season – was postponed to December 1 for Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini and other respondents to file papers.

Animal Rights Africa went to the High Court here yesterday to stop the ritual, set for December 5 at Zwelithini’s palace in Nongoma.

It argues the way in which the bulls are killed is “cruel” and an “affront to dignity”.

The other respondents are Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Sicelo Shiceka, Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa, KwaZulu Natal Premier Zweli Mkhize and his Local Government, Housing and Traditional Affairs MEC. – Sapa

Article Tools		Save & Share

Post comment here (You must login first) Login \| Register All comments are moderated and will be posted only if they are about the subject and are not abusive, vulgar and/or discriminatory

By: Dejoka	On: 2009/11/25 07:43:30 AM
no wonder there is so much violence in our country - is it neccessary to torchure the animal.. I mean, really - if people believe that killing an animal is going to appease their ancestors or whatever then there is surely a kinder way to kill the animal???

By: Psynapt1k	On: 2009/11/25 10:20:22 AM
While most of the comments border on racist - I also tend to be disgusted by the ritual, but what gives us as "whiteys" the right to meddle with an age old tradition?

By: Kaczor	On: 2009/11/25 02:08:59 PM
Its us racist whites that have overcome savage ancestral beliefs with science and medicine and humane treatment of animals (if modern slaughter can be called humane) but yes this gives us the right to comment on anachronistic savage beliefs and practices.

By: FleurDeLis	On: 2009/11/25 03:26:36 PM
Anachronistic - that's it. Barbarism does not belong in the 21st century.

By: OwlRun	On: 2009/11/25 05:32:59 PM
Just because a tradition may have been practiced since the dawn of time, that doesn't make it acceptable in the modern world. Some of us have progressed beyond barbaric sacrificial rituals. Traditions change.

By: tenpastten	On: 2009/11/25 09:42:23 PM
We whiteys were also barbaric.We used to burn witches at the stake to death (actually poor old ladies) and we used to hang,draw and quarter criminals which involved pulling the condemned persons intestines out. But with time we advanced and stopped inhuman barbaric acts. We moved on. In the days of the great Zulu General Shaka cowardly warriors were put to death with an assegai. The zulus would not do that now but it is part of their culture.Sometimes you have to move on and leave the past behind.