The bare-breasted maidens from Buffelsdraai outside Verulam, north of Durban, danced in jubilation after undergoing testing by qualified virgin inspectors. Those who passed were later awarded certificates for their purity.

"As Zulus we are not forced to do it because it's our culture and we are proud of it. We thank the king for reviving it. We abstain from sex to protect ourselves from diseases, unwanted and unplanned pregnancies," said 21-year-old virgin Mbali Ngcobo

"Those who are against virginity testing and claims that it's immoral and violates our rights don't know what they are talking about.

"Actually, they must show us one maiden who complains about it - or come to us and ask how we feel ... and we will tell them that they must back-off.

"It helps teach us to respect ourselves, our bodies and to love ourselves by remaining pure until we reach the age when our bodies, spirits and minds are ready for sex and its consequences."

Nomthandazo Khubisa, 22, said it was their right not to have sex. "By undergoing virginity testing we are exercising our right to our culture. Nobody should tell us otherwise," she said.

Nunu Ngcobo, a well-known virginity inspector, said not a single child was forced to participate. "Frankly, they are the ones who encourage us to do it.

"People must understand that when we conduct tests we are not merely checking if the child has had sex or not. We go beyond that. It involves a lot more, like teaching them to respect their parents and not to fight with their schoolmates."

She said they were very understanding and when they find out that a girl is no longer a virgin, they call her mother and inform her of what they have found.

"But this remains confidential between myself, the child and her mother."

Thandiwe Luthuli, chairwoman of Izintombi Zemvelo, said before they established the organisation in 2009 girls as young as 12 were falling pregnant "like it was in fashion".

"We have since seen a significant drop in child pregnancy," Luthuli said.

ANC councillor Nondumiso Ndlovu said: "It's our culture ... this is one of the cultures that need to be preserved otherwise we will continue having illegal abortions and unplanned pregnancies, straining government child support grants,"

Comments

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Thu May 23 17:10:20 SAST 2013 ::

Jun 25, 2012

Thapzen

and this doesn't stop Aids...
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Jun 25, 2012

Pointman

So is it working? KZN has one of the highest school pregnancy rates in the country. If they find a girl is no longer a virgin, do they also go after the boy or man she had sex with. Anyway as long as girls are not coerced to participate it is an extreme way of preventing HIV infections.
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Jun 25, 2012

hulas

Abuse at its best! another opportunity for zulu king to take a little girl as his wife at the expense of taxpayer...
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Jun 25, 2012

lindsay

damn i could be a virgin too my boobs are better way better than these secondary virgins
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Jun 25, 2012

KILLERa1111

I dont understand why wld SOWETAN run a ing on poll about virginity test SOTHOS, VENDAZ, PEDIS and so forth coz it not their culture...we know what the response gona be...Can you ask uMzulu wether he like Masonja or wld he wear a a traditiional blanket in a 40 degree hot weather.

I think it time for SOWETAN readers to boycot sowetan newspapaer because they are dividing us as SA tribes...
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Jun 25, 2012

KILLERa1111

I dont understand why wld SOWETAN run a poll about virginity test asking SOTHOS, VENDAZ, PEDIS and so forth coz it not their culture...we know what the response gona be...Wld you ask uMzulu wether he like Masonja or wld he wear a traditiional blanket in a 40 degree hot weather.

I think it time for SOWETAN readers to boycot sowetan newspapaer because they are dividing us as SA tribes...
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Jun 25, 2012

DJWinner

Damn! If I can only get 2 to come and spend a week or 2 here in Pretoria with me. Look at those tits, damn!

I wonder if one can still get a virgin Xhosa or Sotho decent woman like this.
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Jun 25, 2012

lindsay

@Djwinner

you are so gullible you really think these are virgins with boobs like those wow i close my case
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Jun 25, 2012

DJWinner

lindsay
@Djwinner

you are so gullible you really think these are virgins with boobs like those wow i close my case
.....................................................................
Well, those are natural boobs. I think you are now used to seeing fake boobs, hence boobs of these virgins look ugly to you.
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Jun 25, 2012

MGEEZ

This is a good practice worthy to be encouraged for all tribes in this country!!!!
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