Unathi Kondile, News24 User
I watched with glee as topless KwaZulu-Natal maidens ran the dusty streets of Harding heading for the Qiniseleni Manyuswa Tribal Court where Queen Lina Ngcobo and her cast would assess their virginities.
One of the girls was shown lying on a cardboard box as she bared all. Another clip on SABC news showed an elderly woman washing her hands and calling the next girl. This got me thinking on how this actual virginity-testing thing was conducted. For fear of being too graphic, I let imagination prevail.
Apparently thousands of Zulu maidens will undergo this testing in preparation for the King's reed dance. But as usual from afar in the comfort of their living rooms and plasma TVs the western souls howl and cry fowl and even go as far as saying virginity testing defies the recent children's act.
To hell with the Children's Act. The Children's Act in itself defies black cultural practises! And hence we have children yelling they have a right to this and that, whilst blatantly undermining their cultures. Now the heat is on virginity testing.
But what fails me is the fact that no one seems to see the values of virginity testing. Firstly it instils a sense of pride about maintaining one's virginity - as opposed to the West's "Oh my gosh, you're still a virgin!" taboo. Secondly this testing also plays a pivotal role in HIV prevention. The more virgins the less HIV right? Right!
And don't tell me about other intravenous methods of acquiring HIV - rural girls in Harding know nothing about swapping needles and shooting up coke. So I ask could virginity testing really be that bad? Considering the fact that it largely leans towards yielding the positive.
Really now what does the West want us to do? Those girls are proud to be virgins and you now want to come and remove that sense of cultural pride and breed communities that think being a virgin is taboo.
To all those crying foul of Zulu virginity testing - leave the Zulus alone, at least they have something that works in these days of promiscuity and rapid HIV infections.
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