The Jozini Local Municipality proudly hosted the annual Umkhosi Womhlanga (Reed Dance) at eMachobeni Royal Palace on the 6th and 7th of September 2024. The royal palace, situated in the Ngwavuma area near the eSwatini border, was one of the late King Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu’s residences.
This year’s event witnessed an impressive turnout, with over 7,000 maidens gathering to honor and celebrate Zulu culture. In keeping with tradition, one of the maidens presented the ceremonial reed to His Majesty, King Misuzulu kaZwelithini, symbolizing purity and respect for Zulu customs.
In addition to the thousands of maidens, more than 5,000 tourists and local visitors attended the event to witness Izimbali zesizwe (the nation’s flowers)—the maidens who embody the pride and future of the Zulu nation. The Umkhosi Womhlanga at eMachobeni has continued to grow each year in participation and cultural significance.
Dignitaries in attendance included KwaZulu-Natal Premier, Hon. Thami Ntuli; MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Reverend Thulasizwe Buthelezi—who also serves as the Zulu Traditional Prime Minister; and MEC for Sports, Arts, and Culture, Hon. Mtomuhle Khawula.In his address, His Majesty King Misuzulu kaZwelithini expressed deep gratitude to the maidens for their dedication to preserving Zulu culture. He commended their pride in their heritage and emphasized the urgent need to protect them from the growing threat of Gender-Based Violence, stressing the importance of ensuring the safety and well-being of young Zulu women.
Umkhosi Womhlanga remains a cornerstone of the cultural heritage of the Zulu nation and South Africa as a whole.
His Worship, the Mayor of Jozini, Cllr Mfananaye Mathe, showed his unwavering support for this important cultural event by providing a marquee tent to accommodate over 2,000 maidens, as well as food and water for more than 4,000 maidens, both at eMachobeni Royal Palace and eNyokeni Royal Palace in Nongoma, where nearly 30,000 maidens attend annually. As a gesture of respect and appreciation, Mayor Mathe also presented His Majesty, King Misuzulu, with a large cow and three sheep.
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