ANIMAL Rights Africa (ARA) was “heartened” at the Pietermaritzburg High Court’s decision to postpone until Friday a ruling on the ritual, bare-handed killing of a bull at the Zulu first fruits festival.

While it had hoped for a decision on the matter yesterday (December 1), the delay indicated the court was “giving serious consideration to the cruelty aspects of the killing”, ARA spokesman Steve Smit said in a statement today.

A bull is killed during the Ukweshwama ceremony as a symbolic way of thanking God for the first crops of the season. The ceremony is to take place on Saturday.

Judge Nic van der Reyden said yesterday it was difficult for him to rule on the matter, as the ritual went to the heart of Zulu tradition.

He likened the halting of the tradition to ordering Catholics to stop taking Holy Communion.

The ritual was not carried out by crazy people and needed to be looked at in its proper context, he said.

“This has been done for years. It is done by the Zulus who constitute the biggest population in this country. There are about 10 million Zulus in this country,” he said.

Many young Xhosa men died every year during circumcision rituals, but the ritual was not stopped because it was important to the Xhosas.

His understanding was that in killing the bull, the Zulus believed they were transferring power to their king.

“If I rule that the bull should not be killed it means the power will not be transferred to the king.

“Let’s say the king is struck by lightning after the ruling, people will say it is because I have interrupted their ritual,” said Van der Reyden.

ARA has brought legal action against Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini, KwaZulu Natal premier Zweli Mkhize and three government departments, arguing the ritual killing of the bull is cruel and protracted.

Smit said ARA was optimistic its application would succeed, but should this not be the case, it would be guided by its counsel on the legal options available to it.

“Whatever the outcome, we know we have helped to move the discussion on inclusive justice and the recognition of animal rights,” he said. – Sapa