King Mswati to Marry Jacob Zuma’s Daughter as His 16th Wife
Nomcebo Zuma, the 21-year-old daughter of former South African President Jacob Zuma, is set to marry King Mswati III of Eswatini.
The engagement was confirmed during the traditional Reed Dance ceremony, an annual event celebrating young women.
King Mswati III, who is 56, will be taking Nomcebo as his 16th wife.
This event, held at the Ludzidzini Royal Village, is a significant cultural rite in Eswatini where the king often selects a new wife.
King Mswati III, who already has multiple wives, chose Nomcebo among hundreds of women participating in the ceremony.
What to know about Reed Dance ceremony
The traditional Reed Dance ceremony, also known as Umhlanga, is an annual cultural event celebrated by the Swazi and Zulu people. This ceremony is held to promote purity among young women and to celebrate their transition into womanhood.
Swati maidens gather on a field during the 2024 Umhlanga Reed Dance ceremony, at the Ludzidzini Royal Residence on September 2, 2024. (Photo by EMMANUEL CROSET / AFP)
In Eswatini, the event takes place at the Ludzidzini Royal Village and involves tens of thousands of unmarried and childless Swazi girls and women who travel from various chiefdoms to participate.
The ceremony lasts for eight days and includes singing, dancing, and the presentation of reeds to the Queen Mother.
A Royal Eswatini Police officer sweeps the red carpet before Eswatini’s King Mswati III arrives during the 2024 Umhlanga Reed Dance ceremony, at the Ludzidzini Royal Residence on September 2, 2024. (Photo by EMMANUEL CROSET / AFP)
In South Africa, the Reed Dance is known as Umkhosi woMhlanga and is held at the Enyokeni Royal Palace in Nongoma, KwaZulu-Natal. Here, young Zulu maidens gather to dance and present reeds to the Zulu King.
The event is marked by vibrant traditional attire, including beadwork and colorful sashes.
A picture taken on September 11, 2004 shows Zulu Queen Mantfombi Dlamini Zulu taking part in the annual Umkhosi woMhlanga (Reed Dance) dance festival at the Enyokeni Royal Palace in Kwa-Nongoma some 350 kilometres north of Durban. (Photo by RAJESH JANTILAL / AFP)
The Reed Dance is not only a celebration of cultural heritage but also a means to encourage young women to delay sexual activity until marriage, thereby promoting sexual health and reducing the risk of HIV transmission.
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