Team anti-Inxeba selling t-shirts outside court to raise funds

Members of the Man and Boy Foundation, one of the groups opposing that Inxeba (The Wound) should have a 16LS age limit, is selling t-shirts outside the High Court in Pretoria in a bid to raise funds, said a representative of the organisation.

The court has been hearing arguments from both sides on the decision of the Film and Publication Board's Appeal's Tribunal to change to age restriction of Inxeba.

It initially changed the age from 16LS to X18. This was temporarily overturned in court and now producers of the film are arguing that the initial 16LS age restriction be reinstated.

Members of the Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa (Contralesa) were in court to show their support for the bid to keep the film at a higher rating.

Outside court, t-shirts with a red cross against the film's poster, are on sale for between R95 and R150.

"Our culture is sacred and our traditions should not be put in the public domain," said Nkululeko Nxesi, a Man and Boy Foundation member who was selling the shirts.

"It's raising awareness about the way in which our culture has been undermined and attacked, mainly by the western countries. We are reclaiming our space to say let our stories be told be ourselves. We must not allow people from Brazil, Netherlands and Germany to come and objectify us," said Nxesi.

Filmmakers have hit out at critics who have said the film was made by foreigners, explaining that many people who were involved in the making of the film, including the writers, are South African.

Nxesi did not answer questions on why the shirts were not locally produced and instead made in China.

"That is a different issue. We will be selling these shirts nationally because people like the brand and what it represents."

The case is ongoing.