Animal slaughter to bless stadiums for World Cup

Chairman of the Makhonya Royal Trust, Zolani Mkiva, said on Friday that leaders will slaughter a cow preceding the opening showcase of the World Cup in order to bless the stadiums in South Africa.

In less than in eight months, one of the biggest sporting events in all of sports, the World Cup, will open in South Africa. The African nation will cater to 500,000 tourists and play in ten different stadiums. However, according to Zolani Mkiva, Chairman of the Makhonya Royal Trust, officials will slaughter ten cows to bless each of the ten stadiums, reports Reuters. “We must have a cultural ceremony of some sort, where we are going to slaughter a beast. We sacrifice the cow for this great achievement and we call on our ancestors to bless, to grace, to ensure that all goes well. It's all about calling for the divinity to prevail for a fantastic atmosphere,” said Mkiva. Mkiva has sent a letter, according to The Washington Post, to the Chairman and Chief Executive of the World Cup Local Organizing Committee to propose the slaughter. However, officials have yet to respond. Mkiva concluded, “We believe that from the start we've got to do things in accordance with our own traditions.” As My Joy Online reported, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urged South Africa on Friday to send a strong message to the world that South Africa has changed, “There is great power in this (South Africa’s hosting of Africa’s first FIFA World Cup). It is a time to present a different story of the African continent, a story of peace, democracy and investment.”