SPCA to help at Zuma's party

2009-06-05 11:47

President Jacob Zuma (Denis Farrell, AP)

Durban - The SPCA will assist the organisers of President Jacob Zuma's party to slaughter 25 cows, the organisation said on Friday.

The Nxamalala clan in Nkandla in KwaZulu-Natal will slaughter 25 cows on Friday afternoon to celebrate Zuma's ascendancy to the highest office.

Zuma grew up in Nkandla and his homestead is in the area.

Del Jones of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) said her organisation had sent two people to Nkandla to assist.

“We spoke to the organisers and they allowed us to assist. Some cows will be slaughtered today [Friday] and some will be slaughtered on Saturday morning,” she said.

Jones said SPCA staff would ensure that the animals did not suffer during the slaughtering and that there were no risks to people.

'Mother of all parties'

The party, which has been dubbed “the mother of parties” by the organisers, will take place at Ntolwane Primary School near Zuma's homestead in Nkandla.

Jones said it would not be the first time the SPCA attended a traditional ceremony, as they attend the Zion Christian Church annual pilgrimage in Moria in Limpopo over Easter.

The organisation had also previously attended the Steve Biko commemoration ceremony and the cleansing ceremony at Vlakplaas, a former apartheid death-squad farm where people opposing apartheid were killed.

Zuma’s party was initially supposed to take place immediately after Zuma's inauguration on May 9 but had to be delayed because of the president's tight schedule.

The leader of the Nxamalala clan and Zuma’s relative, Inkosi Bheki Zuma said prominent government leaders and senior African National Congress leaders were also expected to attend the party.

- SAPA