Gender expert criticises Maidens Bursary programme
A local gender and cultural expert says the uThukela District Municipality's Maidens Bursary programme while well-intended will do more harm than good.
UThukela mayor Dudu Mazibuko has defended the bursaries saying they are only meant to encourage young girls to abstain from sex and focus on their education.
One of the bursary conditions is that the recipients undergo virginity testing every holiday.
UKZN's Makhosazana Nkosi however believes virginity testing has always been a personal choice and was never intended for public reward.
"We should be very, very cautious in terms of using culture in order to serve our own purposes.
This is a political issue behind that the municipality wants to gain the accolade that they've done something for the community but they are doing it in a wrong context and using the wrong criteria," she said.
(File photo: Gallo Images)