'Let people do tradition'

Our values, belief system is anchored on our spirituality.

- Masoka Dube

Business people should not to prevent people from accessing their ancestral heritage sites for ritual purpos es, says Zolani Mkiva, general secretary of the Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa (Contralesa).

Mkiva was concerned after it was established there are several cases in which people claim that they are being denied access to their ancestral sacred sites - such as family burial sites and other related areas which have been developed for economic purposes.

"Africans are spiritual beings and our values and belief system is anchored on our spirituality," said Mkiva.

"We have a biological and have spiritual relationship with our ancestors. Their blood flows in our veins and we are made of their bones. We carry their hopes and we are responsible for their legacy. We are custodians of their heritage. They are us and we are them.