Media Release
21 October 2008
AUSTRALIANS APPEAL TO SOUTH AFRICA FOR COMPASSION
A group of Australians have appealed to the President of South Africa, Jacob Zuma, against an animal welfare
atrocity that is planned for Saturday, December 5.
The appeal, led by Carole de Fraga from Compassion in World Farming Australia and independent
campaigner, Natalie Houghton, has been supported by over 30 eminent Australians, all academic, community
and organisation leaders, including Aboriginal representatives.
The right-of-passage ritual known as “Ukweshwama” occurs every year in a Zulu cultural festival in Kwazulu Natal,
South Africa.
During the ritual, a bull will be killed by a group of young men with their bare hands. The men will pull the bull to the
ground. His tongue will be ripped out. Terrified, he will struggle, but he will be outnumbered. Handfuls of dirt will be
shoved into his mouth. Hands will plunge into his eye sockets and tear out his eyes. His genitals will be mutilated.
Other horrendous acts will follow until life will finally drain from his helpless body.
According to Ms Houghton, the ritual is excluded from animal protection laws on grounds of cultural liberty.
“In our letter to President Zuma,” said Ms Houghton, “We suggest that that there are other important factors relating
to the bull slaughter, other than cultural liberty, such as: changing human values; the degrading effect on the men
who engage in the ritual; the bull’s capacity to feel extreme fear and pain; and the international image of South
Africa.
Ms Houghton said, “We have sent a clear message to President Zuma that while we respect culture, the bare-
handed bull killing ritual causes extreme suffering and is therefore unbefitting in a modern world which values
peace, compassion and justice.”
The Australian group is not alone in its mission to end the ritual. It has been collaborating with Compassion in
World Farming South Africa, which has been campaigning against the ritual for years. There is also a call to ban
the ritual from animal welfare advocates in 11 African countries.
While there is growing national and international pressure to protect the bulls, Ms Houghton said the matter is
urgent. “The South African Parliament closes on November 20 and we need President Zuma to denounce the ritual
by then.”
Ms Houghton will be in Cape Town on Nov 6 to Nov 11 to ensure the Australian appeal will not go
unnoticed.
A
well respected, Kenyan campaigner from African Network for Animal Welfare (ANAW), Frankline Mukwanja, is
hoping to join Ms Houghton in Cape Town. However, ANAW is urgently seeking public support to fund Mr
Mukwanja’s trip.
“Together, we’ll be a united front”, said Ms Houghton. “Together, we’ll give President Zuma an opportunity to show
the world he is a wise and progressive leader, abreast with current, universal values.”
Media contact:
Natalie Houghton, Melbourne, 03 98666 254
houghton.natalie@gmail.com
Interview and vision opportunities:
Still image of men pulling out bull’s tongue is available for reproduction
Natalie Houghton (contact details above) and Carole de Fraga (03 9880 7342/0409 836 355) both of
Melbourne, are available for interviews and photographs until Tuesday October 27
Further information:
voice.org/images/stories/webimages/posters/press_release_re_bulls_low-res.pdf
A copy of the Australian letter sent to President Zuma is available upon request
NEWS 
