Zwelithini takes pride in the ceremony‚ even though it has become a point of controversy in post-apartheid South Africa and has resulted in heated debate between cultural groups and traditionalists on the one hand‚ and human rights groups and feminists on the other.
Previous attempts by the government to outlaw virginity testing‚ which is viewed by human rights groups and feminists as a violation of women’s rights‚ have failed. And instead‚ the reed dance ceremony has been growing in stature every year.
Proponents of virginity testing draw comparisons and point to frequent deaths in circumcision schools as proof of a problem that needs to be addressed.
Zwelithini has resisted any attempts to outlaw virginity testing and has accused its proponents of ignorance and insensitivity to Zulu cultural values.
He once argued: “Circumcision has killed many people‚ but our practice has not killed anyone. I don’t even want to talk too much about this because it is annoying me. My own children have been tested and they have no problem with that. I said they must arrest me if they want to outlaw this practice.”
The young women who pass the test during virginity testing take pride in their status and are lauded in their communities. The idea is that by remaining pure before marriage‚ the women are safe from unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases.
