The KwaZulu-Natal government has been given the job of making sure the roads to Nongoma are safe during the 40th-anniversary Reed Dance from Friday to Sunday.
King Misuzulu kaZwelithini will host the event, where over 50,000 maidens from across the province and the country will gather at the eNyokeni Royal Palace.
At a meeting last week, King Misuzulu told MEC Siboniso Duma and officials from the KZN transport department to make sure all buses and taxis bringing the maidens to the event are checked and safe.
Duma said that all 11 KZN districts have already inspected the vehicles.
“In our meeting with the king, we promised to act quickly and follow his advice. One of the most important things he highlighted was the safety of the maidens,” said Duma.
Final inspections for the buses will be done on Friday morning at the Alice Street bus sheds in Durban. Sibiya also mentioned that “because His Majesty has attracted interest both nationally and internationally, we expect many guests from across the country and the world to travel to eNyokeni Royal Palace.”
The Reed Dance was brought back by the late King Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu and Queen Regent Mantfombi kaSobhuza Dlamini-Zulu after it was not celebrated for many years due to colonisation and apartheid.
The event is not just about traditional singing and dancing. It’s also a time for older Zulu women to teach young girls, who must be virgins to participate, about their culture, the importance of celibacy until marriage, and respecting their bodies.
The event also has discussions on current issues like HIV and teenage pregnancies.
One of the main parts of the event is the reed-giving ceremony, where the maidens, led by Zulu princesses, collect reeds and give them to the king.
Zulu men also take part, singing and mock fighting. According to Zulu tradition, the first ancestor came from a reed bed, so laying reeds at the king’s feet shows respect for Zulu culture.
Pictured above: It’s all systems go for the 40-year anniversary of the Zulu Reed Dance as thousands of maidens flock to Nongoma from Friday.
Source: KZN Tourism
