Who owns Zulu culture? The battle for inclusion and identity

THE recent tirade by Ngizwe Mchunu against a gay couple's traditional wedding attire was more than a crude assault on the LGBQTIA+ community; it was an affront to our Constitution and a betrayal of the values that underpin South African society.

- NCO DUBE

THE South African Human Rights Commission is probing Ngizwe Mchunu's alleged homophobic remarks, igniting a national conversation on hate speech and LGBTQIA+ rights in South Africa. ITUMELENG ENGLISH Independent Newspapers

By condemning the same-sex couple for wearing imvunulo (traditional Zulu attire), he weaponised culture to stoke hate and division. His rant reduced a living heritage rooted in respect, ubuntu (humanity) and communal pride to a tool of exclusion. We cannot allow pseudo-custodians of tradition to dictate who may claim Zulu-ness or how it is practised.

South Africa’s Constitution guarantees dignity, equality and freedom of association for all citizens, regardless of sexual orientation or belief. Section 16(2)(c) explicitly excludes hate speech from the right to freedom of expression, making it unlawful to incite hatred on the basis of sexual orientation.

The SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has opened a probe into Mchunu’s remarks, recognising that public personalities wield real influence and must be held accountable when they incite violence or discrimination.

The Constitution demands more than passive tolerance; it insists on active protection of marginalised communities.

Zulu cultural practices have always centred on ubuntu. Our shared humanity, and on communal bonds that transcend individual differences.

Imvunulo, that is worn nowadays mostly for ceremonies, carries deep spiritual and social meaning, marking rites of passage and honouring ancestors. It has never been the exclusive preserve of a specific gender, age or sexual orientation. Mchunu’s claim that traditional attire is reserved only for heterosexual men not only misreads history but also distorts the inclusive essence of Zulu identity into a narrow, patriarchal caricature.