Ntokozo Sibanyoni

The ICRC Regional Delegation in Southern Africa (Delegation) launched version 2.0 of the Tool on African Traditions and the Preservation of Humanity in Warfare (“Tool”), which explores African traditions and values predating the Geneva Conventions that correlate with contemporary norms of International Humanitarian Law (IHL). This is a living project, continuously developed through contributions from researchers across Africa.

Version 1 of the Tool was launched in 2021, comprising 11 ‘practices’ that highlight traditional principles of warfare that can be seen as reflecting IHL. The research has since developed to cover more geographical areas under the initial practices, and six new practices were identified, necessitating the launch of version 2.0. Therefore, the Delegation hosted the launch in South Africa in May 2025.

The Tool serves to spark dialogue on the relevance of IHL for Africa, amidst sentiments that seek to portray the applicability of IHL on the continent negatively. In countering these sentiments, the Tool shows that respect for the sanctity of human life and the resources on which that life depends, was a value among African communities at war even before these values were first codified in Geneva. Instead of imposing foreign standards, therefore, IHL confirms values already observed by Africans.

The Tool comprises the identified practices and their corresponding IHL rules. It also includes illustrations for each practice, providing a memorable depiction of the information in the Tool. To further promote version 2.0, the Delegation incorporated African proverbs as another way to showcase how African communities valued the preservation of life in all circumstances and to reflect the contempt with which acts contrary to the well-being of humanity were considered.

These proverbs are included in the broader toolbox offered by the Delegation to provoke thought about what is acceptable during conflict. Could actors glean lessons from these proverbs to shape attitudes toward contemporary conflicts in Africa? Could remembering ancient values inherited through proverbs help communities resolve divisions and avoid conflict? Could proverbs appeal to armed actors to rethink their methods of warfare? Could the proverbs remind stakeholders to promote human life as the pinnacle of all humanitarian and peace support efforts?

The proverbs were sourced from academic writings focusing on the sub-Saharan region covered by the Tool. The proverbs come from diverse communities, including communities not yet reflected in the practices of the Tool. To verify the accuracy of the academic writings and the translation of proverbs into English, the Delegation sought confirmation from native speakers of the various languages from which the proverbs were sourced. This also helped ascertain the contextual use of the proverbs and their relevance to conflict. This contribution expounds on a Sepedi proverb and showcases the ways in which stakeholders working on conflict issues may benefit from proverbs.

‘Feta kgomo o tshware motho’

This is a proverb from Bapedi of South Africa, which means that

‘if and when one is faced with a decisive choice between wealth and the preservation of the life of another human being, then one should opt for the preservation of life’.[1]

Literally translated, it means ‘pass the cow and hold on to the person.’ It displays how some communities perceived wealth as being secondary to the sanctity of human life. It teaches one to put people first in all situations and calls for a willingness to risk losing one’s material assets in the process of saving lives.

The reference to ‘kgomo’ (cow) reflects one of the most valuable sources of wealth and social status. The early Bapedi were subsistence farmers, and cattle were valuable for ploughing, food, to signify social status, and for making bride wealth payments.[2] Yet within this context, the proverb challenges cattle owners, who would have been important in society, to forsake the very assets that gave them status whenever this was necessary to preserve life. From this perspective, the wellbeing of the whole took priority over individual interests.

Further research is necessary to draw conclusions about the proverb’s influence on Bapedi warfare. A 2009 publication by the Limpopo Provincial Government says that this proverb, therein expressed as ‘Fetakgomo o sware motho, Mofetakgomo ke moriri o a hloga’, was the ‘motto’ of Bapedi — a nation characterised by a combination of diplomacy and militancy. It was on this motto that the community became strong and revered.[3] Amoako writes that

they implemented [this motto] by bringing in small tribes, not slaughtering the weak and defeated people, by using cattle to marry as many women as possible from neighboring tribes, by admitting outsiders and refugees into the fold of the tribe and by conquering recalcitrant tribes.[4]

Although proverbs are not ‘practices,’ which are actual rules governing tribes’ warfare, the philosophy behind the practices was often influenced by proverbs used in everyday language, possibly moulding warriors’ identities. Tshuma’s research reflects that various Southern African tribes surrounding Bapedi used proverbs to regulate actions during warfare, and at times the rules within the tribes were stricter than IHL.[5] Diallo’s writing on humanitarian principles underlying African traditions in West Africa reveals that proverbs were used to warn against war because of the human cost involved.[6] Proverbs were used to testify to traditions that restricted the methods of warfare. Diallo writes that the practice in West Africa that a messenger is not to be killed, was confirmed by proverbs that condemned such killing and accorded honour to messengers.[7] Thus, incorporating proverbs in version 2.0 spotlights their historical role in the preservation of humanity during conflict and emphasises their continued relevance.

How could the Sepedi proverb shape actions and actors’ priorities during humanitarian crises today? The proverb offers a lens for viewing conflicts and gives direction concerning where the focus should be when solutions are formulated — on people first, and on all they require to live in dignity. This proverb challenges actors to do all that is possible to preserve lives during conflict, and it offers insight into conflict prevention and sustainable peace.

For armed actors, the value gained from this proverb is somewhat reflected in Tool practices from tribes in present day Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia, South Sudan, and the Sahel. In various traditions, attacking women, children, and the elderly brought shame to warriors. Among the Guji of Ethiopia, for example, if a warrior killed members of vulnerable groups, he would not have the right to wear butter on his hair or to hold Kuda, and he would be highly despised.[8]  Another practice shows that direct attacks to land and water sources were strongly disapproved of. For example, in Somalia, destroying plains for cattle grazing or poisoning wells was strongly disapproved of.[9]

The fact that the philosophy behind the Sepedi proverb is reflected in some Tool practices, shows that the protection of humanity is a value that historically cuts across diverse African communities. The value of an attack in subduing the enemy, has historically had to yield to the value of innocent human life and to the protection of indispensable communal property necessary to sustain lives. Today, this proverb can encourage armed actors when they plan and execute attacks, to consider how their actions will affect civilians and community resources. Instead of thinking about military advantage without more, the philosophy behind this proverb challenges armed actors to consider how their decisions affect the broader humanity.

The philosophy in this proverb also supports contemporary principles of IHL, particularly the principles of precaution and proportionality. Respectively, these principles require armed actors to take all measures possible to spare civilians from incidental loss of life and civilian objects from damage during conflict and prohibit the execution of an attack that may be expected to cause incidental loss of civilian life or damage to civilian objects. This resonates with the demand from the proverb to put human life first during crises. Therefore, IHL may become more relatable to people involved in conflict situations if IHL norms are promoted with the backing of proverbs, as what is said by written law is consistent with communal values.

This proverb is also useful for conflict prevention, challenging actors to value human life over the gains that might be made through sparking conflict. Armed conflict inevitably affects the vulnerable more than those who initiate it. It affects the ability of future generations to develop, with years spent after the fighting to rebuild society. Therefore, the call to put people before wealth has moral implications for actors considering taking up arms, critiquing their inability to peacefully resolve disagreements and their motives for seeking to engage in armed conflict.

The values behind the proverb necessarily condemn anyone willing to use military force to cause human suffering merely to accumulate property. In the current landscape where resource scarcity and climate issues are increasingly a source of conflict, remembering this proverb is useful to shape responses of communities navigating a threat of conflict due to resources.

Unequal resource allocation also contributes to conflict, and decision-makers responsible for distributing resources may be stirred through this proverb to address inequality and poverty. Duty-bearers are challenged to ensure that resources are equitably distributed across all groups without unfairly privileging some, in order to address disgruntlement and avoid conflict. Where inequalities already exist, ‘feta kgomo o tshware motho’ means that those with exclusionary access to resources will benefit from prioritising the survival of the whole community. The proverb, as it always did among Bapedi, requires actors to yield their privilege and instead help to address inequality and keep the community together.

In conclusion, proverbs provide an impactful way to remind stakeholders of values that have for generations shaped African societies. These proverbs evidently influenced how some communities conducted warfare, warning about excessive conduct in battle.

In a context of increasingly complex conflicts which disproportionately affect vulnerable groups, the proverb of Bapedi, whose philosophical foundations are reflected in tribes’ practices across Africa, challenges all stakeholders to ensure that they put people first always. Not only are actors involved in conflict situations called to put people first, but they are called to yield their own interests when human life is at stake.

[1]  L Ndlovu ‘Neglected Objects or Valued Human Beings’: The Ndebele People’s Perception of The disadvantaged as expressed in the Proverb’ (2013) 20 European Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences 1004.

[2] South African History Online ‘Pedi’ 03 April 2011, https://www.sahistory.org.za/article/pedi (accessed 24 April 2025).

[3] Mapungubwe News ‘The enviable legacy of our forebearers’ (2009) 9.

[4] Amoako ‘King Sekhukhune And The Refuge of The Lulu Mountains’ African Research Consult (web blog), 1 June 2023, King Sekhukhune And The Refuge of The Lulu Mountains – African Research Consult ( accessed 5 May 2025).

[5] D Tshuma ‘African customs and traditions and the indigenization of international humanitarian law in armed conflict’ (2024) 926 International Review of the Red Cross. The author indicates for example that the Shona proverb ‘Usauuraya mai vako, unotanda botso’, which means that one must not harm their mother, or they will go mad, was used in peacetime but also in the context of armed conflict to protect vulnerable groups. See 644.

[6] For example, the Toucouleur had a proverb which says, ‘war does not kill grass, which means that it does kill man: anybody intending to declare war, therefore, must think about it twice’. See Y Diallo ‘African Traditions and Humanitarian Law’ (1976) 185 International Review of the Red Cross 388-389.

[7] Above 391-392. One such proverb says, ‘your stranger is your god: if he does not make rainfall, he will bring you the dew’.

[8] Kuda was a ceremony held by warriors who had killed men from the enemy or had killed big game. It served to distinguish ‘true killers’ within the community. See T Berisso ‘Traditional warfare among the Guji of Southern Ethiopia’ Master thesis, Michigan State University, 1988 42-47 (on file with the ICRC Regional Delegation in Southern Africa).

[9] International Committee of the Red Cross ‘Spared from the spear: traditional Somali behaviour in warfare’ (1998) 49.

*