By Celani Sikhakhane
- Youth agency leaders met King Misuzulu at Reed Dance preparations to promise help with jobs and fighting drugs.
- King told maidens he will protect them from men who want to date them at the ceremony.
Young people got a promise of help with jobs and fighting drugs at the Reed Dance over the weekend.
The National Youth Development Agency met with King Misuzulu kaZwelithini at Machobeni Royal Palace in Ngwavuma on Saturday.
Agency chairperson Sunshine Myende and her team told the King they want to work with him. They promised to help create jobs for young people in KwaZulu-Natal.
“We work closely with youth structures to help young people get jobs and fight social problems,” said Myende.
“We are promising to work closely with Your Majesty to help fight joblessness in your nation and drugs. We will work hard to help you with youth programmes.”
The agency also gave King Misuzulu a portrait of his late mother, Queen Regent Mantfombi kaSobhuza. She brought back the Reed Dance to the Zulu nation.
King Misuzulu was happy with the agency’s promises and the gift of his mother’s portrait.
The King also made the maidens happy when he promised to protect them from men who want to date them.
He joked that anyone who wants to date the maidens must talk to him first because they belong to him as their King.
The maidens danced and celebrated after hearing the King’s promise to keep them safe.
The next Reed Dance will happen at the new eMashobeni Royal Palace in Phongola from 12 to 14 September.
Pictured above: The portrait given to King Misuzulu kaZwelithini.
Image source: Zulu Royal Kingdom
